A disbarred lawyer appeared before the Supreme Court on Tuesday for a trial date to be set over allegations of theft from clients who had bought real estate with a combined value of $1.6 million.

Ralph Jan Ward is tentatively set to be tried on one case on January 16, 2017, 10 years after he was brought before the court.

A trial date for another matter has been fixed for October 2019.

Senior Justice Vera Watkins will set additional trial dates in February 2017.

In 2011, Ward, of Paradise Island, admitted culpability in seven stealing by reason of service and fraudulent breach of trust cases and promised that he would make restitution to his victims.

However, Ward later withdrew his pleas and challenged the voluntary bill of indictment process in a constitutional motion.

The Court of Appeal last year ordered the trials to continue as soon as possible.

Ward is accused of stealing £500,000, or US$986,446.39, from Robert James Lloyd between January 26, 2006 and August 21, 2007 in relation to the purchase of a property at Ocean Club Estates.

Ward is also accused stealing £350,000 – roughly US$690,594.66 – from Pochins Plc, a British construction and development group, between March 28, 2006 and August 21, 2007.

Ward is also accused of stealing $55,100 sent to him by CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank on behalf of Deanne Laing and Michael Roache, who had planned to purchase property from Wayne and Joan Wilson.

Ward allegedly took $47,500 from Scotiabank Ltd. between January 24 and April 16, 2007 and misused the funds given to him in trust on behalf of Leterio Edgecombe.

Artesia Davis, Guardian Senior Reporter

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