Despite being found guilty and sentenced to three years for falsely obtaining $115,800, a 68-year-old avid churchgoer still maintained his innocence."I innocent. I never commit this crime," muttered a sombre-looking Diego Martin pensioner Verne Phillip on Monday as he was escorted out of the San Fernando Third Criminal Court to begin serving his jail term.Phillip, who suffers from glaucoma and uncontrollable hypertension, was found guilty last Tuesday of obtaining money and valuable security by false pretences from the Marabella branch of Republic Bank Ltd 11 years ago.
In handing down sentence yesterday, Justice Ricky Rahim said the court would be failing in its duty if it did not send a strong message to people who prey on law-abiding citizens by concocting elaborate schemes to fleece them of their income.Although such an offence is reasonably prevalent, Rahim said Phillip's scheme was more elaborate and detailed.The State's case was that on May 25, 2000, Phillip went to the bank with a cheque payable to Keith Sosa in the sum of $115,800 drawn on the account of Varma Iron and Steel.Purporting to be Sosa, Phillip produced an identification card for Sosa with his (Philip) picture on it.
He told the bank employees he was a contractor with the steel company and needed the money to pay workers and do a job.He requested cash, but instead received $75,000 cash and a managers cheque for $40,800.The owner of the company, however, testified the signature on the cheque was neither his nor his wife's and the cheque was invalid.The court heard Phillip was previously convicted and sentenced on four similar offences and was released from prison in July 2003.
In the mitigation plea, attorneys Raphael Morgan and Michael Rooplal, asked the judge to consider his failing health. They presented two testimonials from pastor Earlon Banfield, of Holiness Revival Ministries, where Phillip worshipped, and Errol Lewis, executive chairman of Junior Achievers of TT.Both attested to Phillip's complete about turn in his life and requested a non-custodial sentence.In passing sentence, the judge said he considered that the accused appeared to have been on the straight and narrow path since leaving the prison walls and the time he spent in custody.