(CMR) Former chairman of the National Housing Development Trust Geoffry Wiliam Ebanks said when he diverted 60 truckloads of soil from a government housing project site to his property, he was helping the people of the Cayman Islands by keeping the project on track.
Ebanks, who was charged with conflict of interest contrary to sections 19(2) and 19(3) of the Anti-Corruption Act (2019 Revision) and Breach of Trust, is currently on trial in the Grand Court.
The material was cleared from the property in North Side and was to be donated to Beacon Farms; however, Ebanks had it sent to his property without the required approval.
During his trial, Ebanks said that after three days of transporting the material to Beacon Farms, the processing area became full, and he decided to have the material transported to his property to prevent the project from stalling.
He said some of the material was used on his property but said he had no ill intentions when he did so.
“I will admit that I may have made a mistake, but I didn’t intentionally do anything to benefit myself in any way,” Ebanks said.
Ebanks said he had made general manager Julio Ramos aware of his intention to transport the material to his property, and Ramos said there would be no conflict of interest in him doing so.
However, Ramos, a prosecution witness, told the court Ebanks was advised to raise the matter with the board for approval, but did not.
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