Two lawyers were among a group of five men charged on Thursday with fraud-related offences surrounding alleged improprieties connected to several apartments in the Palms of Love Beach Condominiums, West Bay Street.
The men who appeared before Chief Magistrate Vera Watkins were: Bryan Douglas Knowles, 47, Sean Michael Munroe, 25, attorney Peter Andrew Bowe, 50, Shayne Malcolm Knowles, 40 and recently called to the Bar, Fedner Jospeh Dorestal, 32.
One set of charges against Bryan Knowles, Mr. Munroe and Mr. Bowe allege that they possessed a number of forged documents on April 4, 2002. The documents allegedly forged were one Barclay’s bank current savings and deposit account, a Barclays personal profile form, one Certificate of Good Standing, an Article of Association, one Memorandum of Association, two Nassau Industrial Group share certificates, a certificate of Incorporation, an annual business licence and one appointment of Bankers companies from the Nassau Industrial Group Limited. The mentioned items were alleged to have been uttered on the mentioned date.
Another charge involving Bryan Douglas and Munroe accuse them of possessing one [copy of the] Minutes of an Annual General Meeting, two Resolution of Directories, a letter of Transfer of Nassau Group Limited, six Declarations and five annual returns for Nassau Industrial Group Limited. The police said that the men possessed and uttered the mentioned documents between April 9, 2002 and April 12, 2002.
In addition, the two Knowles’ along with Mr. Bowe and Mr. Dorestal are alleged to have possessed a forged Nassau Industrial Limited Seal on July 25, 2003.
Everyone exclusive of Mr. Munroe were accused of conspiring to commit the offence of forgery between June 20, 2003 and Feb. 3, 2003. The charge alleged that the men forged the signature of John William Lefler on five conveyances for Love Beach Properties Limited, condominium units B3, B7, D1, D2, and D3 at the Palms of Love Beach, West Bay Street.
It is alleged that the men forged and uttered conveyances for the apartments at the mentioned condominium.
Another charge of fraud by false pretences alleged that the men on March 10, 2003 obtained from First Caribbean Bank on John F Kennedy Drive cash in the amount of $40,000.
As the matter will be proceeded with by way of preliminary inquiry the men were not required to enter a plea to the charges. The chief magistrate informed the men that their case would begin on Feb. 26 before Magistrate Susan Sylvester. She also granted bail in the sum of $15,000 with two sureties each to the men.
During bail arguments Bryan Knowles indicated through his attorney Senator Desmond Bannister that John William Lefler and he were involved in a civil matter in the Supreme Courts. Moreover the units in question he said he resided in, as well as Shayne Knowles.
Mr. Bannister also represented Mr. Bowe and Mr. Dorestal, while attorney David White represented Mr. Munroe.
Jimenita Swain, The Nassau Guardian
