NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC – Former youth, sports, and culture minister Lanisha Rolle was Wednesday granted US$120,000 bail and will re-appear in court on May 31 after she was charged with fraudulently awarding contracts over US$700,000
Rolle faced one count of bribery and 14 counts of conspiracy to commit fraud by pretenses when she appeared before Senior Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans, concerning contracts valued at $711,989.56.
Rolle’s husband, Vontenken Rolle, is charged with her on one count of conspiracy to defraud the government out of US$168,000 regarding the award of a contract. At the same time, her uncle, Alfred Mortimer, faces a charge of bribery. He’s accused of offering an advantage to help G and L landscaping procure a contract at the Grand Bahama Sporting Complex.
Godfrey Burrows is accused of fraudulently obtaining US$34,690 for a contract issued to Miller’s Masonry and Carpentry for work at the South Beach Pools.
Burrows and Wilfred Rolle Jr are charged with conspiracy to commit fraud by pretenses about that contract.
The charges relate to her time as a government minister between 2019 to 2021. Her husband was granted US$50,000 bail, and their co-accused were each granted US$10,000 bail.
The accused were later informed that the case would proceed to the Supreme Court through a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI) scheduled for May 31.