Former Goddard Enterprises Chairman Denies Job Promise in Cannabis Trial
Charles Herbert flatly denied offering accused Walter Prescod job security in exchange for confessing to 121kg of cannabis found on a yacht.
Herbert rejects deal claim as cannabis yacht trial continues in Supreme Court
Former Goddard Enterprises chairman Charles Herbert told a nine-member jury on Tuesday that he never promised accused Walter Prescod job protection in return for accepting responsibility for cannabis packages discovered aboard a private yacht, Barbados Today reports.
Prescod, of Emerald Park East, St Philip, has denied possessing 121.4 kilogrammes of cannabis within Barbadian territorial waters, importing the substance, and holding a traffickable quantity of it on July 23, 2018.
The case is being heard in No. 4 Supreme Court before Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell. Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Alliston Seale SC and acting Senior State Counsel Paul Prescod represent the State; defence attorneys Sade Harris and Elan Greenidge appear for the accused.
Voyage from Barbados to Grenada
Testifying under oath, Herbert said he, captain Christopher Rogers, and Prescod had sailed from Barbados to Grenada aboard the yacht Ecstasy, which required maintenance. On arrival in Grenada the vessel was hauled out, and Herbert returned to Barbados immediately. Prescod stayed behind, employed to look after the boat during the works. Herbert could not recall when Rogers had departed.
Once maintenance was finished and the yacht was ready to return, Herbert said he flew back to Grenada on July 19 at Rogers' request. He explained: "I would not normally make that trip. Chris would often hire a captain to bring the boat back to Barbados, or he would have other people that he would hire because the trip back is not pleasant. In this case, he could not get the people, and he asked if I would come and assist him."
The three men spent that night aboard. The following morning, after a brief delay, they sailed via Carriacou and Bequia, spending one night at anchor at each stop, before heading to Barbados, arriving at 11 p.m.
Customs clearance and Coast Guard search
Following standard procedure, they contacted the signal station on arrival and were directed to bring the yacht into the Deep Water Harbour and clear customs the next morning. Rogers left to obtain clearance from the Customs and Immigration office while the others remained aboard.
After mooring the vessel in the Shallow Draught, Herbert packed his bag and left. Later that day Rogers called him back at the Coast Guard's request. On his return, Herbert said the boat was occupied by Coast Guard officers and police. A Coast Guard officer then asked him to come below to the cabin.
He recalled: "He showed me a number of bags which he asked me if I knew anything about them or if I've ever seen them before. They had objects in them. I really didn't know what they were and I did not recognise them."
All three men waited on deck while police photographed the items. They were subsequently arrested and taken to Oistins Police Station. Police also searched Herbert's home and found nothing. All three were subjected to a financial inquiry, charged, and released on bail. Herbert said the matter was adjourned at least four times before he received a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions informing him that charges against him were being discontinued due to insufficient evidence.
Board authority and the key denial
During cross-examination by defence attorney Harris, Herbert addressed his role at Goddard Enterprises. He confirmed he was chairman of the Goddard Group's board in 2018, had stepped down at one point, returned to the position, and eventually retired in January of this year — a return he said was prompted by receipt of the DPP's letter.
Harris challenged his account of the board's powers, but Herbert denied having hiring and firing authority across the conglomerate. He said that authority was confined to the appointment or removal of the company's chief executive officer. "The board has lots of authority but that is around governance and policy and not around management decisions. There is a lot of authority and a lot of responsibility, but it is not operational authority or operational management," he said.
Harris then put the central allegation directly to the witness: "I am suggesting to you that you together with Mr Rogers promised Mr Prescod that he would be able to maintain his job at Goddards had he confessed to having possession of the items that were found on board."
Herbert's response was unequivocal: "I absolutely deny that."
He also told the court that during the return voyage from Grenada he had left the vessel only to use bathrooms at the boatyards, and that neither he nor anyone else had placed any packages aboard the yacht.
The trial is scheduled to continue on Wednesday.
Source: Barbados Today