The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

THE Crown closed its case yesterday in the criminal trial of former Water and Sewerage Corporation executive chairman Adrian Gibson and others, ending more than two and a half years of prosecution evidence in one of the country’s most closely watched public corruption cases.

Director of Public Prosecutions Cordell Frazier announced the move before Senior Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson after prosecutors completed their examination of Alexandria Mackey, Gibson’s former fiancée and one of the Crown’s key witnesses.

The decision pushed the long-running case closer to the defence phase after a trial that has stretched across years, following Mr Gibson’s 2022 not guilty plea and the selection of jurors in May 2023 to hear evidence from dozens of witnesses.

Gibson has been on trial since November 2023 alongside former Water and Sewerage Corporation general manager Elwood Donaldson Jr, Joan Knowles, Peaches Farquharson and Jerome Missick in connection with contracts awarded during his tenure at the corporation.

Gibson and his co-accused have denied wrongdoing.

The case centres on allegations that contracts awarded during Gibson’s tenure benefited companies linked to him and his associates.

Ms Mackey returned to the witness stand yesterday as prosecutors used bank records, company documents and email correspondence to challenge defence claims that her allegations were unsupported by evidence.

The court heard evidence concerning payments connected to the purchase of lots eight and nine in the Farrington Road area.

Prosecutors presented bank records and receipts that they said traced the source of funds used to acquire the property to companies allegedly linked to Gibson.

Ms Mackey testified that she and Gibson had discussed purchasing property in the area before they had an argument and separated.

Gibson’s attorney, Damian Gomez, KC, objected to parts of the testimony, arguing that Ms Mackey was speculating about the purpose of the transactions.

Prosecutors countered that her evidence was based on her personal knowledge and the financial records presented in court.

Senior Justice Grant-Thompson agreed, ruling that Ms Mackey’s answers were based on her knowledge of the matter and documents she had reviewed.

Prosecutors also questioned Ms Mackey about WSC contracts awarded to companies allegedly linked to Gibson and the subcontracting of portions of that work.

The Crown took her through records relating to water tank refurbishment projects. Ms Mackey agreed that, based on the documents shown to her, the corporation suffered a loss.

The questioning later turned to subcontracting arrangements involving Top Notch, a company previously identified during the trial as having been engaged to perform work connected to water tank projects.

The Tribune understands the defence submitted a letter concerning Top Notch that outlined concerns over delays and alleged breaches of a subcontract agreement related to the water tank works.

The document detailed a dispute between Elite Maintenance and Top Notch and alleged that the subcontractor failed to start work, provide a completion schedule and furnish required insurance documents, resulting in the termination of the agreement.

The correspondence was introduced as the parties continued to dispute the nature of subcontracting arrangements linked to the water tank contracts.

After Ms Mackey completed her evidence, she was released as a witness and told she was free to leave the jurisdiction.

Ms Frazier then informed the court that the prosecution was closing its case.