Watson aims to throw out case

(CNS): Updated: Canover Watson has made an application to the courts for a dismissal hearing regarding the ten charges against him, all of which he has denied. Appearing in the Grand Court dock on Friday morning for the first time following his brief appearance in the Summary Court, the former HSA chair told the court via his attorney, Ben Tonner, that he had made an application for all the charges against him to be dropped. Following the court appearance, Watson's attorney issued a short statement to the media in which he claimed that no evidence had been presented to support the charges. Tonner said the charges against Watson were all transmitted by a magistrate Tuesday without any "examination of the merits of the case".

As a result notice was filed of a dismissal hearing set for later this month. 

"The application to dismiss has been scheduled for hearing before the Grand Court on 22 December 2014," Tonner stated. "Todate Mr Watson has not been served with any indictment or with the evidence in support of the charges laid. Mr Watson has stated that as a consequence of the charges laid against him his liberties have been restricted and his reputation unjustly tarnished. Mr Watson has reiterated that the charges laid against him are baseless and that he looks forward to clearing his name and dismissing all charges at
the hearing."

Watson has been charged with six counts of money laundering as well as fraud, breach of trust, conflict of interest and failing to disclose a pecuniary interest.

The allegations relate to a more than $11 million contract awarded by the HSA Board when Watson was chair to a company for a new health care card payment system for the government’s hospital. Watson is accused of having a connection to the company awarded the contract and to have gained a financial interest, relating to a sum of some US$169,000.