Janice Samuel pleads guilty to 19 counts of fraud and remains on remand until her May 4 sentencing

Janice Samuel, the former Observer Radio personality, will know her fate on May 4 when she is expected to be sentenced in the High Court.

Samuel appeared before Justice Colin Williams on Tuesday, April 12, and pleaded guilty to 19 counts of fraud: five counts of forgery and 14 counts of obtaining money by virtue of a forged instrument.

She remains on remand awaiting sentencing, which, a source says, could be from one to 14 years in prison on the respective offences..

A request for a social-inquiry report into Samuel’s background was made by her attorney, but was later vacated. 

Samuel, who is in her late 40s, was employed with H2One Limited as an office assistant between March 15 and July 7, 2019.  It was during this time that she was alleged to have stolen $107,119.27 from the business.

This offence came to light only after she was convicted, in another instance, for embezzlement, prompting her former employer to investigate the company’s records.

Samuel reportedly was writing company cheques to herself and having a friend cash them at a local gas station.

The Police had arrested and charged the friend; but those charges were withdrawn after he and Samuel admitted that he did not know of the fraud.  He reportedly explained that he was changing the cheques as a favour, since Samuel said she did not have the time to do it herself.

Samuel, who is being represented by attorney-at-law Sherfield Bowen, has had previous convictions.