The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A FORMER female Post Office employee and a businessman were charged in Magistrate’s Court with defrauding the Bahamas government of over $80,000 in a six-month period.

Darnell Kemp Lightbourne, 47, and Quinton Ewing, 49, both appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney, each facing six counts of fraud by false pretences and one count each of conspiracy to commit fraud.

Regarding the six counts of fraud, it is alleged that the two, between September 30, 2016, and March 15, 2017, while at New Providence and being concerned together, obtained a total of $84,449.41 from the government.

Lightbourne was further charged with seven counts of falsification of accounts. It is alleged that she, while serving as an accounting officer at the General Post Office, with the intent to commit fraud, falsified payment records in relation to ABC Security Company, owned by Ewing, to indicate that it was entitled to a total of $83,895.05 between September 2016 and February 2017.

Both Lightbourne and Ewing pleaded not guilty to all of the charges and were subsequently remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS).

They return to court on November 9 for trial.

They have a right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail before that date.