Paraplegic Man Calls Out Fraud Case Delays and Courthouse Access Failures

St Claire Henry says his fraud case has stalled for nine months, with missed court dates, a bench-warranted constable, and no wheelchair access at the courthouse.

Nine Months On, Fraud Victim Says Justice Has Stalled

A paraplegic Antiguan man says he has lost confidence in how his fraud case is being handled, citing nearly a year of adjournments, a bench warrant issued against the investigating officer, and a courthouse he cannot physically enter. The Antigua Observer reports that St Claire Henry has gone public with his concerns after repeated attempts to obtain answers from police leadership went unanswered.

Henry says his former caretaker, Ranisha George, stole one of his personal cheques on October 3rd 2025 and cashed it in her own name at Sammy's Supermarket for EC $1,500. He filed a report four days later. Police arrested George and then released her with a deadline of October 11th to repay the money — a resolution Henry said he never agreed to.

"I asked for justice, not repayment," he said.

George was formally charged on October 13th 2025 and granted $2,000 bail with two sureties. She is represented by attorney Warren Cassell, according to Henry.

The case has since been adjourned four times — on December 16th, February 26th, April 22nd and July 15th — and is now listed for October 2nd 2026. Henry said each hearing has been complicated by the absence of any disability accommodation at the courthouse: no accessible entrance, no designated parking, and no route to the upstairs courtroom. On July 15th, he said, police officers carried him up the stairs — the only time such assistance was provided.

Henry has also raised questions about the conduct of the investigating constable. He said the charge sheet contains the wrong address for him and that George's alleged forgery of the cheque was not properly documented. A bench warrant was issued against the constable on July 15th for failing to appear in court and for not filing the paperwork required to move the case forward.

"It appears to me that the constable has, at every turn, been working to get my case thrown out rather than working to see it through," Henry said, adding that this was his honest impression and not a claim he could prove, and that he believed the public had a right to know how the matter appeared from his perspective.

Henry said he has also been unable to get updates from Assistant Commissioner of Police Lisborn Michael, who he said promised in October 2025 to contact him once the case file returned from the Director of Public Prosecutions. Despite numerous phone calls and WhatsApp messages sent since February, Henry said that promise has not been kept.

The evidence in the case, Henry said, includes a cheque bearing George's handwriting and a voice recording in which she allegedly admits to taking and altering it.

Henry said he is speaking out to draw attention to broader failures of accessibility and accountability within the justice system, and encouraged others who have faced similar treatment to come forward.

Source: Antigua Observer