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Businessman loses money launderering appeal

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 16: UPDATED A businessman serving seven years behind bars for money laundering this afternoon lost an appeal to get his conviction and sentence overturned.

Goodwin Davano Spencer, 42, was represented by lawyer Shade Subair when he appeared in the Court of Appeal today.

Ms Subair presented arguments that her client had no previous convictions of this kind and was of previously good character. But Court of Appeal Judges Justice Edward Zacca, Justice Sir Anthony Evans and Justice Sir Robin Auld said the sentence was not manifestly excessive considering the facts.

In 2008, the then 40-year-old was found guilty of 11 charges of money laundering on behalf of a Trinidadian man named Wayne Jagoo. The charge involved nearly $160,000 believed to be the profit from drug trafficking.

Spencer, who ran Tuff Shoes and Mega Power Car Care Products, was convicted in November 2008 of sending Jagoo the money or helping him access it.

The Trinidadian national had been convicted in the UK of possessing criminal property in the form of $170,000 after he was arrested on his return from Bermuda.

Before Spencer was sentenced in 2008, he maintained the investigation was part of a conspiracy against him and claimed he was innocent.

More in tomorrow’s Royal Gazette