A trucker's 16-year quest for cash he claims he's owed for moving lawyer Llewellyn Peniston's furniture is finally coming to the end of the road.

Wayne DeRoza — who says he has asked Mr. Peniston face-to-face more than 1,000 times for full payment for the job he did back in 1992 — met the lawyer for a civil hearing in Magistrates' Court yesterday.

It is unclear exactly how much cash is at the centre of the argument, as Mr. DeRoza presented a number of documents appearing to show he is owed differing amounts from $325 up to $1,500.

The trucker conceded he was confused because previous court hearings over the past decade-and-a-half have blurred the issue, telling Magistrate Juan Wolffe: "It's really hurting my head."

Mr. Peniston indicated he would honour any amount that had not been properly dealt with, before the matter was adjourned so that Mr. DeRoza could fetch more documents to clarify his claims.

The trucker says he was hired to evacuate Mr. Peniston's home in 1992, moving some of his furniture to his parents' home and some to Pembroke Dump. However the cheque bounced, leading to an initial court hearing in 1993. Since then, the issue has not been resolved.

Mr. DeRoza, 53, visibly frustrated in the courtroom, stated on a number of occasions that he was determined to get paid what he was owed.

"I've worked for it. I'm tired of this, man," he said. "Mr. Peniston and I had a beautiful working relationship. This is what he owes me and he's just been playing with me.

"I'm simply saying I'm fed up with this whole issue going back to 1993."

He said he had chased Mr. Peniston from Southside to St. George's and had also been calling him on the telephone.

Mr. Wolffe told Mr. Peniston: "It seems that he's been pestering you over the years. He's been hounding you for this money. If that's the case, surely you should just give him the money?"

Mr. Peniston replied that he did not feel he had been pestered and pointed out he had been off the Island in the mid-1990s.

He said the obligation was on Mr. DeRoza to provide "further and better particulars" in support of his case.

"If anyone brings a claim to this court, it's up to them to prove to the satisfaction of the court their claim is valid," said Mr. Peniston.

He added that he wanted to start next year with a clean slate, saying: "I want to bring closure to any of those nuisances elements in my life."

Mr. Peniston expressed disappointment that Mr. DeRoza had alerted the media to the court case.

Mr. DeRoza replied: "I speak to him (Mr. Peniston) every day. Peniston, come on, I'm tired. Why else did I go to the press? What else would I do?"

The Magistrate said he wanted to "stop the madness", declared he had no problems with Mr. Peniston's conduct in court and was confident he would honour any judgments.

Telling Mr. DeRoza to fetch more documents and return for another hearing early in the new year, he said: "Hopefully we can put all this to bed for the satisfaction of everybody."

Speaking to The Royal Gazette about the row, Mr. DeRoza said he had crossed Mr. Peniston "so many times — over 1,000 face-to-face ... month after month after month".

He continued: "If he came in here right now, I would say: 'Good day Mr. Peniston, how are you?' He would say: 'I'm busy right now'."

Asked what he will do when he finally gets his payment, Mr. DeRoza replied: "I will buy him a drink. I will shake his hand too."