Last November, Funeral Director Michael St Hill went before the District ‘A’ Magistrate Court after the Ministry of Health brought a case against him for knowingly breeding mosquitoes on his property.
St Hill pleaded not guilty then to having containers of stagnant water on his property, which were breeding mosquitoes when environmental officers carried out checks there.
When the matter continued today, Environmental Officer Malcolm Stoute was cross-examined by attorney-at-law Errol Niles. The prosecution then closed its case and it was St Hill’s turn to give evidence.
He testified that last October 8 he was on his way to work when his wife called him and said that an environmental officer was there.
According to St Hill, that officer, Malcolm Stoute, said he had found water around the premises, which he wanted sprayed.
St Hill said he told his wife to let Stoute know that he was on his way to a funeral and he would take care of the situation the following day. However, his general worker was not at work the following day, but when he came to work the next day, the spraying was done.
The witness recalled that Stoute returned on October 12, inspected the property and said everything was “all right”.
It was to his surprise, St Hill said, that he read in a newspaper that he was being charged.
Acting Magistrate Alliston Seale adjourned the matter until March 9.