Marlene co-accused released on bail, husband still in jail
WAYNE Anthony, one of the co-accused along with public administration minister Marlene McDonald, was released on bail yesterday
But McDonald's husband Michael Carew remained behind bars for a tenth night last night.
Carew was charged, along with McDonald and Victor McEachrane, with attempting to defraud the government by procuring funds for Carew's Calabar Foundation, which was identified as a charity group.
Last week Monday McDonald's four co-accused appeared before Chief Magistrate Maria Busby Earle-Caddle in the Port of Spain Magistrates' Court.
McDonald was absent, as she had been taken to the St Clair Medical Centre after complaining of feeling unwell.
Carew was charged with eight offences – three for conspiracy to defraud and five for money laundering – and Anthony faced one charge of money laundering.
Carew was granted $500,000 bail and Anthony was granted bail of $100,000.
In arguing for Carew's bail, his attorney, Pamela Elder, SC, said he was 74, a gospel minister and had an unblemished character.
Before approving Elder's request for bail for Carew, Earle-Caddle rejected a person advanced as a possible bailor after he could not say what the date was.
Anthony's attorney, Frank Peterson, said his client was 66 years old, a cancer survivor, a person of good character and had no previous convictions.
McEachrane received $400,000 bail and was the only one to have his bail processed on the day of the hearing.
A fourth man, Edgar Zephyrine, former chairman of the National Commission for Self Help Ltd, was granted $1 million bail and accessed bail last Wednesday.
McDonald secured her $2 million bail last Thursday and was discharged from the medical centre, telling the media she would be vindicated.
Newsday previously asked Carew's attorney Owen Hinds Jr why his client had not yet been released on bail and he said it was because of a procedural issue. Contacted yesterday, he said he did not have any update on the situation.
McDonald, the Port of Spain South MP, was removed as a PNM deputy political leader by the Prime Minister after she was charged. She faces seven charges: two for conspiracy to defraud, four for alleged misbehaviour in public office and one for money laundering.
Senator Allyson West was appointed Public Administration Minister last week.
The case was adjourned to September 9.
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"Marlene co-accused released on bail, husband still in jail"