Health Minister Nelson Bascome was cleared of $60,000 theft charges by a Magistrate yesterday, after a year-long case his lawyer described as a "political witch-hunt" by "unseen forces".

Mr. Bascome, 52, was accused of stealing a bank loan intended to start up the Natural Business Company, a construction and water filter marketing enterprise.

He was said to have directed the funds into his own pockets instead, over the course of 2003 and 2004.

The total amount he was alleged to have "converted to his own use" in two separate charges was more than $60,080.52. He denied any wrongdoing.

Yesterday afternoon, Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner agreed with submissions made at an earlier hearing from defence lawyer Charles Richardson that the case should be thrown out.

Mr. Richardson had claimed that Senior Crown Counsel Paula Tyndale failed to explain who the victim of the alleged theft was supposed to be.

The loan in question, he said, was a personal loan to Mr. Bascome which was secured on his property and for which he was the only person responsible for repayment.

He also said that the money in the bank in question was not capable of being stolen in the way alleged under Bermuda's laws.

Mr. Warner upheld both points.

Giving his reaction afterwards, Mr. Richardson said of the case:"It was a political witch-hunt. This prosecution was initiated in the run up to the General Election by forces that are yet unseen.

"They wanted to get as much ammunition as they could to try to bring down the Progressive Labour Party Government. From the beginning, the case never had any legal legs or factual."

Mr. Richardson declined to detail what forces he referred to, remarking:"If I could see them I would tell you."

However, he said he did not believe Mr. Bascome had been damaged by the case.

"I don't think it's impacted on his career whatsoever, because he's been thoroughly exonerated."

Yesterday's ruling concluded court proceedings that began in June of last year when Mr. Bascome was charged with theft, and a separate charge of corruption in public office.

A drug abuse counsellor by profession, Mr. Bascome, of Friswells Road, Pembroke, had stepped down from his second spell as Health Minister in February 2007 when a file was passed by Police to the Department of Public Prosecutions but was reinstated by Premier Ewart Brown last December.

Last October, Mr. Warner threw out the corruption charge, ruling that there was insufficient evidence for the MP to stand trial over allegations he corruptly obtained a business opportunity during his period as Health and Family Services Minister in the late 1990s.

After that ruling, Ms Tyndale argued that Mr. Warner should not hear the theft case because he could be biased against Robert Smith a key prosecution witness in both cases. However, Mr. Warner ruled that out and the case continued until yesterday's ruling.

Asked for his reaction to the news last night, Mr. Bascome said he would prepare a press release on both the verdict and his perception of media coverage of the case. It had not been issued by press time yesterday.

Ms Tyndale said the Crown has only limited rights of appeal in the matter, and no decision had yet been made on whether to pursue that route.