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THE Mudgeeraba Chamber of Commerce (MCC) has welcomed a Southport District Court decision to acquit its newly elected president of stealing cash from the Bank of Queensland.
MCC vice-president Terry Hobson (pictured) says the chamber never doubted John Forrester, who was unanimously voted in as president during August and acquitted of charges this week.
“He has served as my vice-president and has the community, businesses and chamber at heart. We never doubted him because we knew John,” says Hobson.
“I have had business dealings with him for many years and you could not meet a nicer guy. He never bent the rules for anyone.”
Forrester has admitted to removing $40,000 from a safe at the Mudgeeraba branch he owns and manages. However, he claimed to have committed the 2009 crime purely because Irish revolutionaries had allegedly carjacked and stabbed him with a poison-filled syringe, demanding that he rob the bank in exchange for the antidote – or else the branch would be bombed.
“There was no opposition to John’s election to presidency as he is innocent until proven guilty,” says Hobson.
“It’s been two years of hell for John because he was suspended from working for that time. John has taken over the presidency very well and has the full support of myself and the rest of the committee.”
The MCC is preparing to celebrate its Annual Chamber Christmas Party on November 26. In the New Year it plans to hold a Gold Coast City Council election candidates evening to discuss each of their policies for the private sector.
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