THE Crime Chief has confirmed that the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) has returned to his office the files pertaining to the investigations into the multi-million-dollar fraud at the Ministry of Public Service, which has been under probe for some time now.Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said the files were returned to the police so that some other minor details can be included. He described the request of the DPP Chambers as looking to have the police clear up some points.

Numbering approximately 25, the files were sent to the DPP’s Chambers for advice after the police had conducted some intense investigation into how more than 600 million dollars which had been issued to the minister were never spent and is now unaccounted for.
The monies had been issued to the Public Service Ministry after it had been indicated to then Office of the President that the cash was needed to conduct a review of the services offered by the Public Service Ministry. That review was never done, although the cash had been issued over a period of time, all at the request of the then Minister, Dr. Jennifer Westford.

The then Personnel Manager of the Public Service Ministry has also been fingered in the fraud. Both Westford and the PSM Personnel Manager have an ongoing matter in the magistrate’s court where it was reported that they had illegally transferred several State vehicles to their personal use and to persons closely associated with them.

That matter is still engaging the attention of the courts, even as the former minister’s lawyers have moved to the courts to have a stay of execution in that matter.