SOCU head sent on leave

Jul 06, 2019 News

Head of the police Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), Assistant Commissioner Sydney James, has been suspended.

SOCU head, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sydney James

According to well-placed sources, James reportedly received a letter directing him to proceed on administrative leave.
The decision, not totally unexpected, was based on a special police audit on the finance of SOCU, recently.
The audit had reportedly found some unaccounted expenditure which could not be verified by a paper trail.
SOCU has been rocked in recent months by a number of incidents.
The unit is the special police one that probes corruption and money laundering.
Since 2015, since the new Government took office, SOCU has been handed increased powers to investigate the findings of several forensic audit reports of state agencies.
A number of Government officials under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) were charged as a result of SOCU’s investigations of those audits.
The British government has been assisting SOCU by placing an expert, Dr. Sam Sittlington, as an advisor.
However, Sittlington had his services terminated by the British government after it was discovered he had opened a private investigating company.
Another senior official, Sheronie James, also departed SOCU after questions arose about her qualifications.
This latest news would raise concerns about the numerous court cases and investigations at SOCU.