Copyright caymancompass
A former civil servant has been jailed for two years and eight months for faking driving-test and car-inspection passes. Former Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing officer Marc Chin admitted a string of offences where he took cash in return for guaranteed passes for drivers and vehicles. Justice Emma Peters highlighted that Chin had committed 23 offences over a period of three years between 2016 and 2019, which also involved colleagues. She told the defendant that government corruption, at any level, “strikes at the heart” of faith in the system. Peters said she accepted Chin had been of “excellent character” and had “no previous convictions and that otherwise he is a man of outstanding character”. But, she added, “It’s almost impossible to ignore the number of indictments … all roads lead back to Mr. Chin.” She said, “It would be a nonsense to characterise his role as anything other than leading.” Peters added that it appeared there was “a culture in the department to turn a blind eye to such activities”. But she said that the risks of putting potentially unroadworthy vehicles back on the roads were real. The people of Cayman not only have to use the roads, but also comply with the testing regime and had every right to “expect other people to do the same”. ‘Lowest sentence’ Peters added at sentencing on Friday, 19 Sept., that Chin was entitled to a “significant discount” on his sentence because of the length of time it had taken to conclude the case. She said two years and eight months was “the lowest sentence I can impose”. Peters ordered that the sentence start immediately. “Mr. Chin, I regret that you will be disappointed by my decision … but I am afraid my duty requires me to send you to prison today,” she said. Chin, a well-known cricketer, was charged last year along with others with offences including breach of trust, defrauding the government, conspiracy to commit fraud and misconduct in public office after a “complex and protracted investigation” by the Anti-Corruption Commission. A total of four men who admitted bribing Chin to gain driving test passes were spared jail at the start of the month by Peters. Shamar Bazil, 29, was sentenced to 60 hours of community service and ordered to pay $500 towards court costs after he paid Chin $150 in 2019 to guarantee a theory test pass after he failed the first time. Chetram Mangroo, 30, got 40 hours of community service after he failed the theory test twice and paid Chin $200 to guarantee a pass on the third attempt. Jordan Cacho was given 120 hours of community service and Corey Cato was ordered to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work in a separate hearing. Cacho admitted he twice paid Chin to fake vehicle inspection certificates for his car despite it having illegally dark tints on windows. He handed over $100 and $110 to Chin to ignore the tinting. Cato also pleaded guilty to paying Chin several hundred dollars to ensure his car passed its annual inspection. In addition to the community service order, he was told to pay $500 towards court costs.
