Joey faces Grand Court trial

(CNS): The former managing director of the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) will face trial in Grand Court after several of the multiple offences that he has been charged with were transmitted from Summary Court Tuesday. During Joey Ebanks’ appearance charges for obtaining property by deception relating to the purchase of several iPhones and iPads, amounting to almost $78,000, were transmitted to the Grand Court, where he will appear on 14 June. A further eight charges of making documents without authority and four more charges of obtaining property by deception were also transmitted to the higher court, where the first charge against Ebanks – obtaining a money transfer by deception was remitted following his April court appearance.

The unsuccessful candidate for North Side in the general election last month is facing a long list of charges relating to his short time at the helm of authority, where he is accused of writing cheques without permission, incorrectly claiming travel expenses and a number of other dishonesty offences.

In addition, there are seven charges of theft relating to amounts under $5,000, which will be dealt with in Summary Court along with two drugs related charges. Ebanks will next appear in Summary Court in July.

Since his arrest, Ebankshas denied all charges against him. During the election campaign the political hopeful took to the local radio airways, where he broadcast a regular evening drive-time show on Monday to Thursday during which he alleged that he was a victim of a wider corruption conspiracy and continued to claim his innocence.