Adrian Gibson’s cousin, Rashae Gibson, leaves court during the trial of Adrian Gibson last week. Charges against Ms Gibson were dropped yesterday after Crown Prosecutor and acting Director of Public Prosecutions Cordell Frazier presented a nolle prosequi. Photo: Dante Carrer
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Chief Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE list of witnesses planning to testify against Long Island MP Adrian Gibson and four others grew yesterday after prosecutors dropped charges against the MP’s cousin, Rashae Gibson.
Ms Gibson was initially on trial for bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery, fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering.
However, the charges against her were dropped yesterday after Crown Prosecutor and acting Director of Public Prosecutions Cordell Frazier presented a nolle prosequi.
The Long Island MP is facing several charges concerning his tenure as the WSC’s executive chairman under the Minnis administration.
The charges stem from Mr Gibson’s alleged failure to declare his interest in contracts awarded by the WSC.
The FNM politician is charged with Mr Elwood Donaldson, Jr, former WSC’s general manager, Peaches Farquharson, Joan Knowles and Jerome Missick.
The group has been on trial since early November. More than a dozen people have already testified in the case and numerous others are expected to take the stand in the coming months.
Tanya Demeritte, a woman who took a plea deal in 2022, was the latest witness to take the stand.
She testified that she was surprised when police charged her with fraud and bribery-related offences and that she did not know how she “got in this mess”.
She claimed that Mr Gibson’s former fiancee, Alexandria Mackey, asked her to become a director of Elite Maintenance, a company WSC awarded several contracts when Mr Gibson was executive chairman.
However, she said she never entered into contracts with the WSC and denied signing maintenance contracts although documents allegedly bearing her signature were shown to her in court.
Under cross-examination by Mr Gibson’s attorney, Damian Gomez, KC, Ms Demeritte admitted to giving false statements to the police, saying she did so out of fear and confusion.
She will return for continued cross-examination at the next hearing.
Mr Gomez, KC, Mr Murrio Ducille, KC, Bryan Bastian, Ryan Eve, Raphael Moxey, Ian Cargill and Donald Saunders represent the defendants.
In addition to Ms Frazier, the Crown’s lawyers include Cashena Thompson, Karine MacVean and Rashied Edgecombe.
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