Bank fraud accused denied bail

Phillip Lindsay, the Corporate Area man who was allegedly found in possession of 29 debit and credit cards, as well as other banking paraphernalia, was denied bail yesterday in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court.

Lindsay is charged with 17 counts of being in possession of access devices. He has not yet entered a plea. Prosecutors submitted that they are opposed to bail as the allegations against Lindsay are serious and that they could not determine conditions to be imposed, should he be offered bail, to reduce the likelihood of him obtaining additional cards and committing additional offences. Senior Judge Lori-Anne Cole-Montaque agreed, stressing the seriousness of the allegations and argued that she was unable to think of any conditions to be attached to his bail.

“I have tried my best over the years, recognising that liberty of the subject is a supreme right, to be as creative as I possibly can be judicially. But I don’t think any court, for example, could say to a defendant not to have any transactions,” the judge shared. The court heard that on March 22, police investigators and personnel from the National Commercial Bank, acting on information, went to Lindsay’s home where the cards, two point-ofsale machines, and two card readers were found. It was alleged that the cards had names of individuals other than Lindsay’s.

It was shared with the court, that when Lindsay was cautioned for the offences, he said “Is a ting me did a try me boss.”

“I don’t think the defendant before the court is a fit candidate [for bail] because not only are the allegations serious but the legislation makes provisions that even before you get to use, you have to be found in possession of the item. This is quite a bit,” Cole-Montaque argued. Lindsay was further remanded until September 30.

– T.T.