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CoI into City Hall… Vendor claims stall destroyed after dispute with Town Clerk’s bodyguard

Oct 13, 2018 News

Carol Stephens, a vendor on Regent Street, alleges that staff from the City Engineer’s department destroyed her stall after she had a disagreement with John Walters, the personal bodyguard to Town Clerk, Royston King.

She had made this allegation on September 28, at a hearing of the Commission of Inquiry into the affairs of City Hall. John Walters, who testified at the CoI, yesterday, told Justice Kennard that he was not there when the stall was destroyed.

Stephens had told Justice Kennard that, on July 15, 2018, she noticed smoke from a nearby barbecue being operated by “Mr. October”, who she said is a friend of John Walters. Stephens had said that the smoke coming from the barbecue was “smoking up” the clothing she had on display, and that she told Mr. October about the effect of the smoke on her clothes. Mr. Walters, she claimed, was there at the time. Receiving no resolution from her confrontation with them, Stephens complained about the smoke to the city constabulary. She said that, again, she received no justice for her complaint.

Walters was, yesterday, asked whether he had involved himself in this issue by speaking to the city constables to whom Stephens had lodged her complaint. He said that he did not involve himself. However, when he was cautioned that evidence may be provided to the contrary and that he was speaking under oath, he told Justice Kennard that he spoke to a constable at the city constabulary about the matter after Stephens complained. Walters said that he told the constable that ‘Mr. October’ has permission from the city to operate the barbecue.

Stephens, on September 28, told Justice Kennard that not long after her complaint, she received a phone call from a friend, who said that her stall had been destroyed.

Stephens alleged that the people who destroyed her stall are staff of the City Engineer’s department, and that John Walters, personal bodyguard to the Town Clerk, was instrumental in the engagement that led to the destruction of her stall.

But on being questioned yesterday, Walters denied being involved, telling Justice Kennard “I wasn’t there, sir.” He said he did not know the individuals who destroyed the stall.

Royston King has faced multiple accusations of using staff from the City Engineer’s department and the City Constabulary to bully persons with whom he and his acquaintances have grown annoyed. These accusations are among the many complaints which prompted the establishment of the CoI into City Hall.

The Commission of Inquiry into the affairs of the Mayor and City Council is headed by the Local Government Commission. Its purpose is to examine, advise and report on irregularities of the administration, its operations, and the managements of its financial affairs. The Chairman appointed to lead these proceedings is Retired Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Cecil Kennard.

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