Accounts frozen
ST ANN’S BAY, St Ann — The assets of a former Victoria Mutual Building Society (VMBS) worker accused of defrauding the company of $18 million have been frozen.
The Supreme Court ruling has effectively denied Roxroy Mendez and his family members access to funds at any financial institution in the island.
And Mendez was again denied bail when he appeared in the St Ann’s Bay Resident Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday despite strong arguments by his attorney H Charles Johnson.
While in the RM court, Johnson yesterday argued strongly against the freezing of the accounts. According to the lawyer, the order had been arbitrarily applied under the drug enforcement and forfeiture act, even though his client has been charged under the forgery act. He later said he would “vigorously challenge” the legitimacy of the order.
On July 15, Mendez was charged with 14 counts of larceny as a servant following allegations that he defrauded VMBS of over $18 million between June 1999 to June 2003.
The crown alleged that Mendez, employed as an accounts’ supervisor, with responsibility for foreign exchange, manipulated the foreign currency transactions and skimmed over £144,000 and US$166,000 during those four years.
When he appeared before Senior Resident Magistrate Winsome Henry last week, bail was denied on the grounds that he may interfere with the case, and also on the strength of the allegations.
In court yesterday, RM Henry again expressed fear that Mendez, if granted bail, may interfere with the course of justice. The RM also suggested that the removal of $6 million from a JMMB account, jointly held by the accused and a relative, was already a signal of interference in the proceedings.
However Johnson gave strong arguments why his client should be granted bail, citing his problem with hypertension; and he reaffirmed that his client would readily agree to whatever conditions were set for bail to be granted.
“If he has to report to the police everyday, he will,” Johnson told the court.
But the prosecution argued that Mendez still posed a risk to the investigations. The RM agreed and remanded the accused in custody. He is set to reappear in court on August 7 by which time the investigation, led by Detective Inspector Fitz Bailey of the Fraud squad, is expected to be completed.