NASSAU, BAHAMAS – A parking lot attendant pleaded guilty to 16 charges yesterday in the high-profile corruption case involving the Water & Sewerage Corporation.
Tanya Demeritte made a plea deal with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions that allows her to avoid jail time if she maintains good behavior, pays $10k to the WSC, provides a witness statement, and testifies about her role in the alleged scheme during the upcoming trial.
Demeritte was placed on a three-year probation as part of the deal. If she fails to uphold the terms of the agreement, the penalty will be two years imprisonment.
Her plea deal, which was formalized before Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans, comes several weeks after Eyewitness News reported that Alexandria Mackey, the ex-fiance of Long Island MP Adrian Gibson, struck an immunity deal that requires her to testify truthfully in the trial to avoid prosecution.
Gibson, Demeritte, Rashae Gibson, Joann Knowles, Jerome Missick, Peaches Farquharson and Elwood Donaldson Jr were arraigned on a combined 101 charges in June.
The 16 charges Demeritte faced included two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery, three counts of bribery, two counts of fraud, three counts of conspiracy to commit fraud and six counts of money laundering.
Demeritte was identified as the director of Elite Maintenance Incorporated LTD.
The charges she faced relate to contracts for repairs and painting of WSC tanks and landscaping and maintenance work.
Among other things, it was alleged that between June 3rd 2019 and March, 2021, she obtained $160,808 for a contract for maintenance.
Likewise, it was alleged that between July 2020 and March 2021 she, with the intention to defraud, obtained $538,660 for capital works project related to tanks.
It is alleged that she laundered money when she acquired several cars.
Cordell Frazier, a lawyer with the Office of the Attorney General, said an audit of the WSC raised red flags concerning contracts given to Elite Maintenance Incorporated.
Frazier said Demeritte offered and conspired with “a number of persons” to induce Adrian Gibson to procure and execute capital works contracts.
She said on August 23rd 2018 Demeritte agreed to act as director of Elite Maintenance Incorporated LTD even though she had no real interest in the company.
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