Another new trial date was set in the Kern Spencer multimillion-dollar fraud case in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday. Senior Resident Magistrate Glen Brown set the new date for January 12, 2009.

When the matter was called up yesterday, Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn, told the court that the previous charge against the former junior minister in the Ministry of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce, under Section 14 1A of the Corruption Prevention Act would be withdrawn. However, she said that a new charge, under Section 14 1B would now be brought against him.

Attorney-at-law and head of Spencer's legal team, Patrick Atkinson emphatically voiced his objection both to the new charge being levied against his client and the trial date. He said that they were "inappropriate" and "unacceptable".

Bail was extended for Spencer and his co-accused, Colleen Wright and Rodney Chin, until January when the matter returns to court.