THE TRIAL of east Kingston businessman Danhai Williams and six others accused of defrauding the National Housing Development Corporation (NHDC) of $451 million is scheduled to begin on October 2.
The seven accused appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday when the trial date was set at almost three years to the day after the charges were laid.
The other accused are Carl Kirkland, financial controller employed to Danwill Construction Company; Warren Sibbles, former director of technical services at the NHDC; Donovan Hill, former project manager at the NHDC; Eugenny Porter, president of the Melbrook Heights Provident Society; Wayne Nash, president of the St. Benedict Heights Provident Society and Dwight Dawkins, president of the Morant Lands Provident Society.
The seven were arrested and charged in October 2003 following a year-long probe into massive irregularities which were uncovered in relation to Operation PRIDE projects.
It is being alleged that the NHDC was defrauded of $451 million. The Crown is alleging that money was paid out for work not done on Operation PRIDE projects.