$1million theft trial at security firm delayed

(CNS): Although the courts are making some headway in the progress of criminal cases, there are still some major trial casualties as a result of the packed docket, limited space and shortage of judges. Patti Jane Ebanks, a former financial controller with a local security firm who was charged well over two years ago with stealing around $1 million, will not have her case heard until November. A new trial date was set for Ebanks on Friday. She is accused of stealing the cash from The Security Centre between April 2010 and June 2013. Her trial was set to start this month, but with other cases running over their allotted time, the trial was deferred.

Ebanks (50) pleaded not guilty last August to 23 charges, which include one count of theft, one of transferring criminal property, 14 counts of making documents without authority and seven of forgery. The case had dragged through the courts because of the significant amount of documents generated by the investigation, including some 35,000 emails.

The crown claims Ebanks stole S$937,592.62 over the three-year period via unauthorised cheques, on which she forged a manager’s signature.