Latest update April 20th, 2024 12:59 AM
Sep 08, 2015 News
The police have wrapped up their investigations into a $500M-plus fraud at the Public Service Ministry. The files were yesterday handed over to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice, according to Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum.
The Ministry of the Presidency had filed an official complaint to the police in late July after finding more than $120M missing from the bank accounts of the Ministry.
However, investigators stumbled on more than $400M missing from the bank’s accounts.
The police, whom the matter had been handed over to, had dispatched a special team to the Ministry of the Presidency to examine records of the payments.
Several staffers as well as former Minister of Public Service, Dr. Jennifer Westford and her ex-assistant, Margaret Cummings, were questioned during the probe.
Investigators had initially looked at 2014 transactions at the Ministry but went back to 2012. The monies were transferred from the Office of the President and were to be used for training workers in the various regions. However, there was no evidence that the regions were in receipt of any money.
Former Minister, Dr. Jennifer Westford and her ex-assistant, Margaret Cummings, were questioned by police and released on bail.
Police sleuths would have wanted to know what role, if any, the two played in the withdrawals.
Both of the women, a few weeks ago, appeared in court charged with the illegal transfer of eight vehicles belonging to the state. They were placed on a total of $2M in bail.
Several persons from the Public Service Ministry who are involved in preparing documents for payments have been questioned.
Westford is also reportedly being investigated for a recreational vehicle (RV) that was brought into the country but the correct tax was not paid.
The new administration has said that it is investigating a number of irregularities at state agencies, including the Guyana Oil Company and the Guyana Power and Light Inc.
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
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