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Invoice for bedroom renovations at depot sparks laughter in court

During the evidence of defendant-turned-prosecution-witness Calvin Waldron [see main story], prosecutor Susan Mulligan took him through sheaves of documents.All had his signature on them and are alleged to have been part of the fraud that defendant Kyril Burrows perpetrated against Government.In relation to one set of documents, Mr Waldron, a superintendent at Works and Engineering, confirmed he signed a purchase order dated December 20 2005. The order, worth $2,345, indicated it was used to buy a flat screen television and DVD player from the M&M electrical store.“Do you recall issuing a purchase order for the purpose of purchasing a TV and DVD player?” inquired Ms Mulligan.“No,” replied the witness.“Is that the type of thing you would usually issue a purchase order for?” she asked.“No,” replied Mr Waldron.He said the fact the initials KB were on it indicated he had issued the purchase order to Mr Burrows, the buildings manager at the Prospect depot. He identified the signature on the bottom of a matching invoice from M&M as that of Mr Burrows. He confirmed he used the invoice to process the payment for the purchase order.“Did you know what those items are on that invoice?” inquired the prosecutor.“I know what they are now but not at the time,” replied Mr Waldron.Mr Burrows is alleged to have abused his position to obtain three televisions for his own home by pretending they were for Works and Engineering.Mr Waldron also confirmed that he signed payment certificates for contractors who worked on projects that he did not head up. He said these were brought to him by Mr Burrows for him to sign. They included work that the J&M Construction company was said to have done at Morgan’s Point and the Prospect depot.Prosecutors allege that J&M was paid for work done on Mr Burrows’s private home in a way that made it look like it had been working on Government properties.The jury burst out laughing when Ms Mulligan noted that one of the invoices for the work said to have been done at Prospect included renovations to a bedroom. Mr Waldron confirmed no such work was done at the depot.Mr Waldron also confirmed he signed off payments for Delcina Bean-Burrows’s companies Ren Tech and Theravisons at the request of her husband Mr Burrows without knowledge of the work. Prosecutors alleged the work was never done.Mr Waldron told the jury he did not receive any gifts from the couple in order to sign anything.“Did I give you any flowers, any candy?” inquired Mrs Bean-Burrows during her cross examination.“No,” he answered.Ms Mulligan asked the witness: “During your time at Works and Engineering as a superintendent, have you ever knowingly signed a fraudulent payment certificate?”“No I haven’t,” he replied.“Have you ever knowingly signed a fraudulent purchase order?” she asked.Mr Waldron said no.Mr and Mrs Burrows deny the charges they face, and the case continues.