By INDARJIT SEURAJ Friday, October 2 2009

The defence in the trial against a businesswoman charged with attempting to defraud the Trinidad and Tobago Pageant Company during the hosting of the 1999 Miss Universe pageant, is due to open its case on Tuesday, in answer to the case presented by the State.

At the Port-of-Spain Fourth Criminal Court yesterday, the prosecution closed its case against Gina Welch, who is on trial before Justice Andre Mon Desir. Welch is charged with uttering a forged document and attempting to obtain money by uttering the forged document.

The alleged fraud was worth $24,584 and the State is alleging that this occurred in 1999, during TT’s hosting of the prestigious Miss Universe Pageant.

At yesterday’s hearing, former general manager of Package House Ltd, Barry Chin Fatt, returned to give further evidence in the trial.

Chin Fatt was the first witness to testify in the trial and yesterday, prosecutor Sabrina Dougdeen used his testimony to put several documents to the nine member jury. Among them, included an invoice purportedly used by the defendant in the alleged fraud.

The witness was then cross-examined by defence counsel Sophia Chote. Also testifying yesterday was retired Police Inspector Eileen Romany. Romany was a Police Constable assigned to the Fraud Squad, during the time of the allegations against Welch. Attorney Michelle Solomon also appears for the defence.

The trial resumes on Tuesday.