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Trotman’s accuser charged for posing as lawyer
William Ebi Lockhart, formerly ‘Johnny Welshman’ is once again in the limelight. This time, the man who had accused former Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman of sexually assaulting him, has found himself on the wrong side of the law, with a mother accusing him of fleecing her of $40,000 by pretending that he was an attorney.
William Lockhart aka Johnny Welshman
The incident allegedly occurred on October 21, in Georgetown.
Lockhart, 23, of 2519 Layou Street, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, is being accused of obtaining the money from a woman by falsely pretending to be an attorney at law, knowing same to be false.
According to information presented in court yesterday, the complainant, Alicia Fernandes, had contacted Lockhart for assistance in relation to a child custody matter.
Police Prosecutor, Corporal Shawn Gonsalves told the court that Fernandes claimed that she was having problems with her mother, who has custody of her children. The prosecutor added that the matter had been engaging the attention of the Welfare Department, which had advised Fernandes to seek the help of an attorney.
Fernandes then contacted the defendant and paid him the money to deal with the matter.
However, a few days later, the complainant found out that Lockhart was not whom he claimed to be. She reported the matter to the station and investigations were carried out which led to the arrest of Lockhart.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge after it was read to him by Magistrate Dylon Bess. He was placed on $25,000 bail and instructed to return to court on December 29, for statements in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Last year, Lockhart had accused Raphael Trotman, now Minster of Governance of sexually molesting him as a child.
Months after the allegations were made, investigations were completed and a file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice. However, the DPP had advised the police not to institute charges against Trotman, who was at the time Speaker of the National Assembly.
Trotman had always denied the allegations.
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