Former Minister of Education Ruel Reid and his co-accused pleaded not guilty to an exhaustive list of charges on Monday, as the Crown outlined allegations including that Reid and his family members instructed a domestic worker to set up an account in which millions were deposited, but controlled the corresponding ATM card.

Crown prosecutors told the court that between March 2016 and October 2019 the five accused — Reid; his wife Sharen Reid, who was employed to the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) as manager of legal affairs; their daughter Sharelle Reid; Councillor Kim Brown Lawrence; and former president of CMU Fritz Pinnock, participated in a scheme with others unknown, which siphoned off a revised figure of more than $25 million from both the Ministry of Education (MOE) and CMU.

It is alleged that this 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.

Prosecutors allege that there were fraudulent payments made for work that was never done or services which were never provided to either the ministry or university, and that money from these payments was transferred from the CMU and MOE to the accused through either third parties or to bank accounts held or controlled by the accused.

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 MOE and CMU for work, goods, and services not provided.

The prosecution indicated to the court that it is planning to call witnesses to show that money was sent from CMU to them despite them not being contracted to CMU. This money was allegedly paid out on the instruction, or under the authorisation of Reid and Pinnock, with some of those authorisations being sent via text.

The matter of a domestic worker known to the Reid household was also ventilated in court.

The prosecution indicated that a post was filled within MOE for domestic services to the then minister.

However, the prosecutors further allege that the worker was unaware that she was employed to, or being paid by, the education ministry.

The Crown further alleged that the former minister, his wife, and daughter, arranged for the woman to open a bank account to facilitate purported payments from MOE and CMU to be made to her, knowing that she would not be doing the work she was being paid for.

The prosecution also alleged that the Reid family, “at all material times”, kept the ATM card connected to the said account for their own use and purposes.

Ruel, Sharen, and Sharelle Reid and Lawrence were further accused of engaging in transactions involving criminal property for their personal and everyday use, with the Crown citing reported purchases, withdrawals, and transfers which prosecutors claim the four knew or had reasonable grounds to believe, involved criminal property.

The indictment under which they were charged detailed millions of dollars spent or retrieved during trips to furniture stores and pharmacies, and through managers’ cheques and withdrawals.

The accused have maintained their innocence throughout, pleading not guilty to the charges on the 35-count indictment.

They are not subject to all of the charges, but rather are charged with different counts, some jointly, resulting in a total of 35. Reid is subject to the most charges, having been named in more than 30 counts.

Bail for the accused was extended until court resumes on Thursday, when witnesses are expected to be called.