Jury selected in anticipation of Syed theft trial
Hassan Syed
(CNS): The trial of the former president of the University College of the Cayman Islands, who is accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the government institution, is expected to open on Wednesday at noon, ten years after Hassan Iftikar Syed’s alleged crimes. Before the selection process began on Monday, a jury pool of around 120 people were surveyed because of the sheer number of possible witnesses in the case, many of whom are connected to government.
Almost half the jurors were eliminated from the selection process because of connections they may have with the college or the witnesses in the case. However, after several attempts the court was able to find seven people — two men and five women — to serve without conflict, and two reserve jurors to ensure that if any last-minute problems emerge after the case opens, it can still continue.
Syed (50), who is a Pakistani national, is accused of theft and fraud relating to the misuse of UCCI funds and a government credit card, which he allegedly used to buy lavish gifts, weekends away and other unauthorized purchases.
He was arrested on an Interpol warrant in Switzerland in January 2014. He opted not to fight extradition on the grounds that he could access healthcare in Cayman, as he was at the time suffering from a serious illness. He has been on bail now for more than two and a half years and has been residing with a prominent local family.
