The trial of former National Housing Development Trust chairman Geoffry Ebanks has been delayed after potential conflicts with jurors were raised at the opening of the trial on Thursday, 1 Feb.
Ebanks faces one count each of breach of trust and conflict of interest, which he denies. The charges stem from allegations that fill from an housing trust project site in North Side was illegally removed and delivered, using agency resources, to a parcel of land connected to his relatives.
The jury was selected Wednesday, but after prosecutor Sarah Lewis finished her opening remarks on Thursday, one juror informed the court that Ebanks was a regular customer at the liquor store where she worked, but she hadn’t fully recognised him until then.
Another juror then informed the court that her son was employed by the Anti-Corruption Commission, which initiated the investigation against Ebanks. Out of an abundance of caution, both jurors were excused.
The panel had initially consisted of nine jurors (seven jurors and two alternates), but one of the alternates had already been selected the day before after a conflict with one of the main jurors. The result was that the panel was left with six members.
Defence counsel Oliver Grimwood then successfully applied to have the jury dismissed and new panel selected on 12 Feb.
Ebanks was released on bail ahead of the trial.
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