Dear Editor,

A news report was published in this paper on December 11, 2024 headlined ‘Former Petrojam GM, chairman freed of fraud’.

The Gleaner’s coverage on the same day had the headline ‘Bahado-Singh, Grindley freed in Petrojam fraud case’. It started out: “ ‘It is a blessed day,’ beamed former Petrojam General Manager Floyd Grindley shortly after he and ex-chairman Dr Perceval Bahado-Singh were found not guilty of fraud on Tuesday.

“Bahado-Singh was on trial for claiming reimbursement for alleged fraudulent overseas trips and meetings at Petrojam, amounting to more than US$73,000 or just over $11 million.

“Grindley was accused of aiding and abetting the chairman for the claims made between December 2016 and May 2018.

“Bahado-Singh was charged with 12 counts of obtaining money by means of false pretence, while Grindley was charged with eight counts of aiding and abetting obtaining money by means of false pretence.

“However, Parish Judge Maxine Ellis, who presided over the trial that began in May 2022, acquitted the men on Tuesday, noting that the standard for mens rea and actus reus was not met.”

The incontrovertible fact is that justice can still be successfully had in the nation’s courts and, clearly and undoubtedly, justice was done in this case.

As one of the lead attorneys representing one of the accused now declared innocent in a competent court there was persecution at play regarding the criminal charges which were laid against them. There was absolutely no evidence to substantiate the claim that any corruption took place and the judge did the appropriate, warranted, and proper thing to declare Floyd Grindley and Dr Singh not guilty on all charges.

Undoubtedly, the learned and highly experience Judge Maxine Ellis was very meticulous, methodical, and professional in evaluating the evidence which came before her, linked it with law, and outstandingly posited a dispassionate and lawfully sound summation and judgment, not guilty on all charges.

King’s Counsel Keith Desmond Knight stated publicly after the high-profile trial as follows: “This case started out of a parliamentary committee, it got wide publicity, and knowing of the public knowledge and interest to retain credibility, you have to be very careful and very professional, and this is what she was (Parish Judge Maxine Ellis).”

I totally concur with K D Knight.

The judge stated there is also no evidence that Bahado-Singh tricked anybody or that he had gained anything as he had reimbursed all of the sums that he had collected for travel claims.

It is important to note that, while serving as chairman of Petrojam, a multi-billion Jamaican Government-owned company, Dr Bahado-Singh, a patriotic citizen of Jamaica, was not paid a salary. He voluntarily served the organisation freely, professionally, and dutifully. How many professional Jamaicans would have done that?

While serving as Petrojam general manager media reports indicate Floyd Grindley had many successes and was known to be hard-working, dedicated, and highly professional. Grindley breached no law and did not commit any crime.

However, as one of the lead attorneys publicly articulated after the conclusion of the trial, political persecution was at play while the two gentlemen were arrested and charged for crimes.

I publicly commend and applaud the learned judge for conducting the trial in a most professional, fair, and balanced manner, resulting in a no-guilty verdict based on what information was presented in the court. Justice was done.

I publicly commend and applaud all the hard-working, dedicated, and professional judges in this country, from the Court of Appeal level through to the Supreme Court through to the Parish Court levels. We have a high-performing judiciary, along with an exceedingly professional Chief Justice Bryan Sykes.

I wish both Dr Bahado-Singh and Grindley continued successes in their professional careers.

Robert Dalley, Esq

Reading, St James

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