Woman faces corruption charge of $100 bung
Cayman courthouse
(CNS): The first person from the private sector to be prosecuted under the anti-corruption law for bribery is not a major contractor, powerful and influential firm or even a political donor but a 54-year-old Cuban woman married to a Caymanian who works at the craft market. Paula Yates-Rivers is accused of offering an administrator in the government building a $100 bribe when she made her naturalization application. Yates-Rivers has denied the allegations and says the $100 she attempted to give to the official was for the fee for her Caymanian passport as she did not understand that she was expected to pay that at a later stage.
The crown claims that when Yates-Rivers submitted her paperwork and application forms, as the spouse of a Caymanian, to be naturalized and get a British Overseas Territories passport in June 2013, she handed a white envelope containing CI$100 to the administrative secretary handling the application, telling the official it was for her.
Giving evidence in the court Monday, the government worker explained that she declined the envelope several times and gave it back to Yates-Rivers. After the woman left she reported her suspicions that this was a bribe to the deputy governor. He recommended that the secretary report the incident to the authorities.
The next day the secretary said she also received a text message and phone call from Yates-Rivers, who told her she was a good person and to come to the craft market as she had a present for her. The civil servant said she thanked Yates-Rivers for the gesture but declined the offer.
Some time later, the bribery allegations were reported to the police and eventually the government secretary was interviewed but not until December 2013, about six months after the incident occurred. Yates-Rivers was then charged and pleaded not guilty last year.
The court heard during cross-examination that the Cuban woman’s English was quite poor. Her defence attorney raised the issue that it was because she was disguising her poor English skills that she had not really understood the process regarding the fee for the passport, which is $100, and as a result it had appeared, inaccurately, that she was giving money to the administrator.
Permanent residents who apply for naturalization only have to meet relatively simple criteria, which for a spouse of a Caymanian includes being a permanent resident for three years, or for five years for independent applicants, and to speak and understand English.
The case is being heard in Grand Court One by Justice Charles Quin without a jury and is expected to be completed Tuesday.
