An 84-year-old church member was found guilty of two financial crimes in an 8-to-1 decision of the jury on Wednesday.
During his trial, David St Auburn Burke, known for repairing organs, denied that between June 21, 2013 and March 26, 2018, he stole $93 128.31 belonging to the St George Parish Church and laundered it by disposing of the money, which was the proceeds of crime. He was represented by attorney Michael Lashley KC.
Based on the evidence led by prosecutor Olivia Davis, Burke, of No. 8 Oxnards, St James, was paid $130 900 by the church to acquire a console, after telling them that the organ was on its last legs.
The console was to be procured from a company in Pennsylvania with which Burke had contact and shipped to Barbados but he failed to deliver the console after making several promises to do so. He never refunded any of the money to the church. (SD)