Sandals files motion to bar Knight from fraud case

Sandals Resort International 2000 Limited in the Bahamas has filed a motion in the Bahamian Supreme Court seeking to bar Jamaican attorney KD Knight, from representing a former employee who is being sued by the company.

Jeffrey Pyne is being sued by Sandals for allegedly making US$1.6 million in political donations to the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Knight said in its motion, Sandals is objecting to him appearing in the case on the grounds that he is not a fraud case specialist.

He further said no date has been set to hear the motion and as such he has put off a planned visit to the Bahamas to appear in the case.

The suit was set to be heard on Thursday.

Knight explained that a few weeks ago, the Bar Council in the Bahamas had given him permission to appear in the Bahamian Court to represent Pyne.

He said it was at the last moment that Sandals sought the judicial review on the grounds that he is not a fraud case specialist.

In his affidavit, Gordon “Butch” Stewart, chairman of the Sandals Group alleged that, as a director and treasurer, Pyne breached his fiduciary responsibility by wiring funds without permission to the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Sandals is seeking the return of its allegedly missing money, either through the recovery of the original funds or compensation from Pyne.

Pyne, Patrick Lynch and Catherine Barber, who are two former executives at Sandals, are to go on trial in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court in November, for allegedly defrauding Appliance Traders Limited’s Group Pension Fund and Gorstew Limited.

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