Subscribe Login
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
  • Home
  • News
    • International News
  • Latest
  • Business
    • Business Bites
  • Cartoon
  • Games
  • Food Awards
  • Health
  • Entertainment
    • Bookends
  • Regional
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • World Cup
    • World Champs
    • Olympics
  • Videos
  • Career & Education
  • Classifieds
  • All Woman
  • Environment
  • Webinars
  • More
    • Football
    • Elections
    • Letters
    • Advertorial
    • Columns
    • Editorial
    • Supplements
  • Epaper
  • Design Week
Lawyer, former hotel manager offer clarification and explanation
A view of the Melia Braco Village property in Trelawny
News
March 7, 2019

Lawyer, former hotel manager offer clarification and explanation

Statement from Defence Counsel Peter Champagnie on the dismissal of the charges pertaining to fraud and obtaining money by false pretences against his client Dimitris Kosvogiannis.

“Dimitris Kosvogiannis, former general manager of Melia Braco Village, was last month freed in the Corporate Area criminal court when the prosecution offered no evidence against him in respect of charges brought under the Larceny Act, where it was alleged that Kosvogiannis, by unlawful means, obtained credit from two lending institutions.

“His attorney, Peter Champagnie, prior to the court date, had written to the director of public prosecutions (DPP) inviting the office to examine the case file on the basis that it had not had the benefit of a review by the office before the police pressed charges. Additionally, Champagnie, along with attorney-at-law Christopher Townsend, had submitted that the charges were not criminal in nature. The DPP, in response, concurred with the submissions.

“Kosvogiannis was also charged with breach of the Revenue Act in that, on two TRN forms, on separate occasions, he had two different surnames with the distinction being only a difference with the first letter of his surname. In one instance, the letter C was used, while in another the letter K was used.

“Upon being invited by the prosecutor for his client to plead guilty to this, in view of the fact that the breach attracted a maximum file of only $10,000 and a non-recordable conviction, Champagnie indicated to the court that the firm instructions of his client were to contest the charge as his client maintained that he was innocent and that his reputation, irrespective of how minuscule the offence might appear to be, was of paramount importance, in every respect. This aspect of his case is set for trial on June 5, 2019. For now, the major worries of Kosvogiannis appear to be at an end with the dismissal of the larceny charges.”

Kosvogiannis also issued the following statement in relation to the pending TRN matter.

“When I came to the Jamaica with the intention to relocate in 2000, I was not a Jamaican citizen. I travelled and entered the country from the US with my American passport (Obviously, I was living in the US and my Greek passport had long expired).

“The US authorities spelled my name with a “C” in 1985 when I applied for the student visa in Athens, Greece. I was 17 years old and didn’t question the embassy staff. I continued my life, completed my undergraduate and law degrees, got married, and was eventually naturalised. All that with the “C”.

“There was never an issue. Similarly, in Jamaica, when I arrived I obtained unconditional residence since I was married to a Jamaican citizen. I applied for a TRN number in order to obtain work and transact general business in the country. Naturally, the TRN issued in 2000, or thereabout, was issued under the letter “C”.

“In 2009, in light of my quest to defend Jamaica’s workers and for love of Jamaica and its people, as well as to fend off criticism [such as] “You are not even a Jamaican”, I applied for Jamaican naturalisation. The newly formed Passport Immigration and Citzenship Agency (PICA) office requested, as part of the documentary support, my Greek birth certificate. You will note, the letter “C” does not exist in the Greek alphabet.

“As such, PICA issued the Jamaican passport with a “K”. Faced with discrepancies between the TRN spelling of my name, “C”, and my newly issued identification, “K”, I visited the tax office to seek a correction.

“I was advised that a new number would be issued and the old number would be discarded. I relied on the tax office representations. In fact, since 2010 when the new number was issued, with a “K”, the “C” was never used again. I presumed the tax office had followed through on their recommendation and [had] advised and discarded the old number.”

{"website":"website"}{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
img img
0 Comments · Make a comment

ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER

Trump confirms he asked FIFA boss for review of Balogun red card
International News, Latest News, Sports, ...
Trump confirms he asked FIFA boss for review of Balogun red card
July 6, 2026
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump confirmed Monday he asked FIFA boss Gianni Infantino to review the "horrible" decision to han...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Hamas announces dissolution of Gaza governing body
Latest News, News
Hamas announces dissolution of Gaza governing body
July 6, 2026
GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories (AFP) — Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas announced Monday the dissolution of the body that has governed the Gaza...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Microsoft cuts 4,800 job as it revamps Xbox
International News, Latest News
Microsoft cuts 4,800 job as it revamps Xbox
July 6, 2026
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Microsoft said Monday it was eliminating about 4,800 jobs -- roughly two per cent of its global workforce -- in a co...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Ebola outbreak confirmed death toll tops 500 — WHO
Latest News, News
Ebola outbreak confirmed death toll tops 500 — WHO
July 6, 2026
GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — More than 500 people have now died in the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, World Health Organization fi...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Bartlett named to MIPAD Global Top 100 Travel, Tourism & Hospitality list – Class of 2026
Latest News, News
Bartlett named to MIPAD Global Top 100 Travel, Tourism & Hospitality list – Class of 2026
July 6, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett has been named to the prestigious Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) Global To...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
When politics intruded on the World Cup pitch
International News, Latest News, Sports
When politics intruded on the World Cup pitch
July 6, 2026
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — United States (US) President Donald Trump's phone call to FIFA chief Gianni Infantino to have the red card for the ...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Notorious International sets sights on North America after dominating Jamaica’s clash scene
Entertainment, Latest News
Notorious International sets sights on North America after dominating Jamaica’s clash scene
July 6, 2026
Notorious International has risen to the top of Jamaica's sound clash scene, defeating a series of high-profile rivals and cementing its status as a f...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Opposition calls for answers over delay in distribution of Hurricane Melissa houses
Latest News, News
Opposition calls for answers over delay in distribution of Hurricane Melissa houses
July 6, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Opposition Spokesman on Housing and Sustainable Living, Professor Senator Floyd Morris, has criticised the Government over what he...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
❮ ❯

Polls

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

Archives

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tweets

Polls

Recent Posts

Archives

Logo Jamaica Observer
Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. Follow Jamaican news online for free and stay informed on what's happening in the Caribbean
Featured Tags
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Health
  • Auto
  • Business
  • Letters
  • Page2
  • Football
Categories
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
Ads
img
Jamaica Observer, © All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feeds
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Code of Conduct