Ophthalmologist visit under microscope as Ruel Reid and Co fraud trial continues

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The court is expected to hear details of an August 2018 eye doctor visit by former Education Minister Ruel Reid when his fraud trial resumes on Wednesday as prosecution witness Connie Williams Champagnie continues her testimony on the stand.

Williams Champagnie, during examination-in-chief at the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court, detailed the payment and record-keeping systems at her business, Optical Smart Limited, before telling the court that Reid had entered the establishment on August 15, 2018, for an eye exam with another customer known to her. She said he also bought two pairs of eyeglasses using two health cards and a debit card.

When asked how she knew Reid, Williams Champagnie said she had never met Reid prior to that day, but described him as a public figure, telling the court that she had recognised him from the news, as he was the education minister at the time of his visit in 2018.

Reid, his wife Sharen Reid and daughter Sharelle Reid, along with former head of the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) Fritz Pinnock and Councillor Kim Brown Lawrence are on trial, accused of siphoning off around $25 million from the Ministry of Education and CMU between March 2016 and October 2019.

Williams Champagnie told the court that she, from about arm’s length on the day of his visit, had an unimpeded view of Reid for between five and 10 minutes.

When asked if she saw that same individual in the courtroom, she responded that she did, pointing out a man in the dock in a grey suit, glasses and a blue and red tie. The individual stood and identified himself as Ruel Reid.

The five defendants have pleaded not guilty to a litany of charges including that the former education minister and his family members instructed a domestic worker to set up an account in which millions were deposited.

It is alleged that money was funnelled through transfers to various accounts either owned or controlled by the accused, or handed over in cash, with the recipients either knowing, or reasonably should have known, it was criminal property, resulting in charges of acquisition of criminal property.

Pinnock and Reid are accused of using their roles as public servants to mastermind and effect a scheme in which individuals were being paid on a regular basis by CMU, without knowledge that they were being paid; and in which invoices for goods and services were generated, but not by the individuals being paid, who did not at any time provide the stated services or goods to CMU, resulting in charges of conspiracy to defraud.

The two are also charged with acts of corruption under Section 15 of the Corruption Act — Pinnock for allegedly facilitating the payment of monies from CMU by authorising fraudulent vouchers, and Reid, in his capacity as a minister, for causing money to be paid out from the ministry and CMU for work, goods, and services not provided.

—   Dana Malcolm.