The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Court Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A WOMAN accepted a three-year-probation plea deal in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday for her involvement in Long Island MP Adrian Gibson’s ongoing trial, which is connected to his time as executive chairman of the Water and Sewerage Corporation.

The deal also dictates that Tanya Demeritte, 43, compensate WSC $10,000 on or before July 29 for her involvement in the alleged scandal, she is also expected to give a witness statement and give testimony under oath in the Supreme Court.

Demeritte, who was represented by Attorney David Cash, faced Senior Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans on 16 charges for her role as director of Elite Maintenance Incorporated Ltd.

It is alleged that in this position during the Minnis administration’s time in office that Demeritte offered an advantage to Mr Gibson, who faces 56 charges in the matter, 31 of which he stands for alone, in return for WSC contracts.

These contracts were offered between mid-2020 and mid-2021 for capital works project M20565 for Baillou Hill level tanks one and two as well as a landscaping/maintenance contract. For these contracts Elite Maintenance obtained $538,660.00 and $162,808.28 from WSC respectively.

 Demeritte is further said to have procured and transferred on January 13, 2021, three vehicles from Hertz/Sidmac Car Rentals to Aaron’s Car Rental, Bunches, Long Island. The company is owned by Mr Gibson’s family.

 These cars include two $7,300 Kia Ceratos, a 2014 and 2015 model, as well as another 2015 Cerato valued at $7,600.

 As such Demeritte faced two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery, three counts of bribery, two counts of fraud by false pretences, three counts of conspiracy to commit fraud by false pretences, three counts of money-laundering and another three counts of money-laundering (acquisition).

 In court Demeritte pleaded guilty to all 16 charges against her as part of a plea agreement made between her legal counsel and the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

 The plea agreement authorisation signed by the DPP was presented to the magistrate by Crown Counsel Cordell Frazer acting on his behalf.

 Mr Frazer then revealed that an audit conducted at WSC red-flagged exorbitant contracts awarded to Elite Maintenance. It was upon further investigation that it was alleged that Demeritte only accepted the position of director in that company in order to accept contracts from WSC.

 After Demeritte accepted the facts in her case, acknowledged her understanding of the deal and confirmed that she was not coerced into being the sole defendant in these matters entering this specific agreement, Magistrate Vogt-Evans accepted her guilty pleas. Demeritte was then allowed to sign the document.

 Under the conditions of her plea deal  Demeritte is to be placed on three years probation for all counts against her.

 Should Demeritte fail to be of good behaviour during this time she would face two years in prison at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

 Failure to comply with any of the terms would result in Demeritte’s plea deal being considered null and void.