The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

PROSECUTORS have dropped 18 charges against former Water and Sewerage Corporation executive chairman Adrian Gibson and dropped the case against one of his co-accused entirely, as his nearly three-year corruption trial moves to the defence.

Director of Public Prosecutions Cordell Frazier announced the withdrawals before Senior Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson. All 18 counts dropped against Gibson were charges of receiving.

All charges against Peaches Farquharson were withdrawn, and she will no longer have to face the court.

Gibson still faces 41 charges: one count of making a false declaration, three counts of conspiracy to commit bribery, 12 counts of bribery and 25 counts of money laundering.

The defence is expected to call its first witnesses next week.

Charges were also withdrawn against two other co-accused. Joan Knowles had three counts of receiving and one count of money laundering dropped. Elwood Donaldson Jr, the corporation's former general manager, had two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery withdrawn.

Knowles still faces three counts of conspiracy to commit bribery, three counts of bribery, three counts of conspiracy to commit fraud by false pretences, three counts of fraud by false pretences and 16 counts of money laundering.

Donaldson faces five counts of conspiracy to commit fraud by false pretences.

Jerome Missick, who had no charges withdrawn, faces three counts of conspiracy to commit bribery, three counts of bribery, three counts of conspiracy to commit fraud by false pretences, three counts of fraud by false pretences, five counts of money laundering (acquisition) and five counts of money laundering.

The case centres on allegations that contracts awarded during Gibson's tenure at the corporation benefited companies linked to him and his associates. Gibson and his co-accused have denied wrongdoing.

Gibson pleaded not guilty in 2022. Jurors were selected in May 2023 to hear evidence from dozens of witnesses, and the trial has been under way since November 2023.