Former accountant at Medical Benefits Scheme (MBS) Elmeade Jarvis was this morning sentenced to two years on each of three counts of fraudulent conversion, a sentence that will run concurrently.
Jarvis was found guilty in the 11-year-old matter on April 5 of converting MBS cheques in the sums of $25,811, $15,000 and 9,509.15 for purposes other than payments for overseas medical treatment.
The other two who were found guilty, former parliamentarian and government minister Hilroy Humphreys and Jennifer Joseph, were both fined, with the threat of jail time if they default on the payments.
Humphreys was fined a total of $101,622, which comprises a fine of $50,000, and compensation to MBS for the $25,811 he was found guilty of causing to be obtained from the scheme plus 100 per cent interest.
Humphreys has three months to pay the compensation and fine. Should he fail to comply, he will be jailed for one year for each, sentences that will run consecutively.
Jennifer Joseph, a one-time employee of Humphreys’, was found guilty of obtaining $15,000 and $9,509.15 under false pretense. She was ordered to repay $24,509.15 to MBS. She will serve a prison term of six months, to run consecutively, on each count, if she fails to pay in three months.
In handing down the sentences, Justice Mario Mitchell said, “Jennifer Joseph was not a big fish; she was mere bait, while Humphreys was a big fish at the time given his position as a minister of government and a Member of Parliament, and Jarvis being a trustee of MBS, he has his DNA splashed all over this case because he prepared all the fraudulent documents.”
Jarvis was too trusting of his authorities and seemed confident that whatever they told him to do, they would stand by him. How foolish!! To make matters worse, his lawyer did not serve him well. His signature was on every check, and he as the accountant was the guardian of the people’s money. Why didn’t he plea bargain?
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Humphreys violated the people’s trust as an elected official and no jail time. How outrageous!
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After the jury did a wonderful job in finding the accused guilty.The sentence i in my mind,is stnning.Ihave said from the on set that the only person that I believe should not not get prison time is the lady.She was just a follower and a doer.The masterminds behind the scheme to defraud are the accountant and the minister of Government.I am shocked that only the accountant going to jail.My late mother told me as a young man in Antigua,do not try to live,like your neighbors.Because you do not know where they get monies from,how they earned it.As an adult,I am still living by what my mother told me.Greed is not good.
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The Judge said “Humphreys was a big fish at the time given his position as a Minister of Government and a Member of Parliament” so how come he is not in jail with Jarvis? I can afford to dip my mouth in this one because MY MONEY is in it. It is Judgments like this that will have me questioning a Caribbean Court of Justice. I don’t care how much the Privy Council say they don’t want us, give me the Privy Council any day of the week. Do you think that Judge could honestly take a Bible in his hand and take an oath to deliver JUSTICE? He sure would break out in boils. I am looking for the appeal and the appeal of the appeal.
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Earthrain, I understand and I also feel that a little jail time should have been splashed around as well. However, if you are as young as you say, be sure to learn the important lesson here. Jarvis made a remark on the stand that is,”When minister say pay, you pay”. Now he is the only one in need of jailhouse protection. So the lesson is, dont let politicians lead you down the path of unrightheousness because they always somehow seem to wiggle out leaving you in the mess; especially in Antigua and Barbuda.
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CHUPES!!!
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I was not in Antigua during the case and I was also pretty young but something looks very stange with this judgement. in whose hand did the money end? was it Mr. Jarvis or was it someone else?
In my understanding of judging matters should’s it be the highest authority that suffer the greatest punishishment. I am not at all encouraging theft but doesn’t two signaturies have to go on a public company’s cheque so why is Jarvis the only one goign to jail?
what kind of message are we sending our children, those that have greater authority in the land are above the law or do the have a different law and judgement for them.
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This is not breaking news but rather delayed news we knew back in 10 yrs ago that Humphreys would never go to jail
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