Harry Josiah
JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – The Antigua and Barbuda police have slapped 18 additional charges against the former general of the Transport Board, Harry Josiah, even as former prime minister Baldwin Spencer termed his initial arrest as a witch hunt by the Gaston Browne administration.
Police said that Josiah, who had been on EC$100,000 (One EC dollar =US$0.37 cents) bail, was now been charged with four counts of corruption, five counts of forgery, five counts of uttering, and four counts of obtaining by false documents.
The police launched the probe in March this year after the government had complained of misbehaviour at the top of the Transport Board.
The probe has resulted in a number of vehicles, furniture, documents and other material being seized from Josiah’s home.
“On March 18th, he was arrested and charged on three counts of corruption; three counts of larceny; six counts of forgery; six counts of uttering; and three counts of obtaining vehicles by virtue of false documents; offences that were committed over the period of December, 2009 to December, 2010,” the police said in a statement.
When he was first arrested Spencer in a statement said the actions of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) administration “are a continuation of their witch-hunting scheme against the former UPP (United Progressive Party) administration”.
He said an investigation had been carried out and from all reports the investigation was inconclusive as it relates to any wrongdoing by the general manager.
“These actions are attempts to deflect the people’s attention from the ABLP’s mismanagement of the affairs of the nation and their failure to deliver on their many promises to the people of Antigua & Barbuda”.
Former chairman of the Transport Board, Chester Hughes, has also spoken out against Josiah’s arrest, describing it as a witch hunt and a direct attempt by the government to sully his reputation.
