Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewelyn, on Friday warned of harsh consequences for persons found guilty of intimidating Crown witnesses in the criminal case involving embattled former junior energy minister, Kern Spencer.
"If we get any credible evidence that any witness is being interfered with in this matter, then it will be dealt with," Llewelyn said during the hearing of the fraud case against Spencer, his former personal assistant, Coleen Wright, and businessman Rodney Chin.
However, Llewelyn's warning did not go down well with the defence attorneys, who all considered it a jab at their clients' reputations.
"I am not going to allow Mrs Llewelyn to come in here and cast aspersions on any of our clients," attorney Valerie Neita-Robertson, who represents, Chin, told the presiding magistrate, Glen Brown.
Earlier in the hearing, Llewelyn told the court that the prosecution needed an additional month in order to gather outstanding documents from the police to further assist with the investigations.
"The Crown has served the defence with copies of all the statements we had in our possession. [But] we still have a few documents to receive from the police," she told the court before asking for another mention date to be scheduled in the matter in a month's time.
The defence also objected to having the matter delayed for another month, saying that it was unjustified.
"I am submitting that that amount of time is unreasonable, your honour," attorney Patrick Atkinson, who is representing Spencer, told RM Brown. "Last time they asked for six weeks and your honour gave them seven. Now they are coming back and asking for more time."
The defence attorneys further accused the prosecution of employing delay tactics, arguing that they received the statements from the Crown on Thursday afternoon, and that they still had not received the documents outlining the charges against the three accused.
RM Brown, however, granted Llewelyn's request, telling the defence that the matter did not appear to be ready for trial. Spencer, Wright and Chin will next appear in court on June 19. All three are facing charges of money laundering, fraud and corruption.
@garrik earnestly keeping tabs on kern....lawd rick...nuff tief no get catch...sorry fi him!!!
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