Former (PUP) Caribbean Shores area representative, Joe Coye, has told Amandala that he has put Lebanese businessman, Alfred Shakron, owner of JEC & Co Ltd., on caution of intended litigation if Shakron does not offer him a public apology and financial compensation for theft charges he said were wrongfully and maliciously slapped on him because of Shakron.
In a letter dated Sunday, August 24, one of Coye’s four attorneys, Dickie Bradley, wrote Shakron calling for him to make good on the demands for restitution within 14 days.
Amandala was reliably informed by a spokesman of Coye today that that contrary to media reports over the weekend that Coye has withdrawn that letter, the letter remains in effect. (Coye was not available when we called his accounting firm this morning for an update, but the spokesman says that the caution letter gives Shakron until the end of today to respond.)
Speaking with Amandala last Tuesday, Coye had said that if Shakron does not offer a public apology and pay him enough to cover legal expenses incurred in defending the case and seeking legal advice, he will lodge complaints of malicious prosecution, and file both civil and criminal libel complaints against Shakron.
Amandala tried on repeated occasions to reach Shakron for his comments, but our attempts were futile.
Coye and his former driver, Cornel Flowers, walked free of theft charges on July 25, after court prosecutor Sergeant Frank Augustine told Chief Magistrate Margaret Gabb-McKenzie that he had received instructions that charges should be dropped against the two men.
Shakron had reported to police that Coye and Flowers had stolen over $300,000 from him in the sale of the Putt Putt land, in Coye’s constituency.
However, official sources had told us that Shakron had later complained of receiving death threats, and had, therefore, indicated that he could no longer aid the prosecution in its case, though he was not rescinding the statement he had filed with police.
The letter from Coye to Shakron accused Shakron of being “consciously complicit and participated in the unlawful arrest and detention, and malicious prosecution” of the former Minister of government.
Coye tells Amandala that the 14 days given to Shakron to apologize and compensate him expires today, Monday, September 8.
Apart from Bradley, Coye said he had used the services of Dr. Elson Kaseke, as well as a lawyer from the Musa & Balderamos law firm and a foreign attorney he declined to name.
The solicited compensation, says Coye, includes costs incurred from seeking legal counsel from these lawyers.
(Amandala hopes to have an update on this in the weekend paper.)