– Several persons questioned by Police, charges to be laid soon
FOLLOWING intensive investigations by members of the Police Crime Branch, who were called in by the Commissioner responsible for investigations and recommendations of municipality operations, Mr. Keith Burrowes, upon the discovery of what appears to be major fraudulent transactions at City Hall, several persons have been questioned, pending charges soon to be laid. A reliable Police source has informed the Chronicle that over the past two days the police have been intensely questioning several officers from the Mayor & City Council (M&CC), as well as persons who are suspected to be complicit in the fraudulent transactions, including personnel from a popular city cambio.

The fraudulent act currently under police investigation was forced into the public arena when a property transaction was aborted, causing one of the parties involved to seek compensation for taxes paid at City Hall, a large portion of which proved not to have been recorded, despite a receipt being provided by the claimant.

Reports stated that on 17th February, 2009, Ms. Martina Bacchus, proprietor of Martina’s cambio and an employee of the AG’s chambers, paid to a clerk of the M&CC, through her employee Kathleen Ramdin, over $3.35 million, plus an additional $220 in accrued interest, in order to facilitate the issuance of compliance before the sale could have been effected.

When one of the co-proprietors of the property reneged on the sale agreement with Ms Bacchus, she demanded restitution of the monies she had expended, and this set in train events that led to the discovery of the fraud.

Stamped manual receipt #097 from volume 1612, dated 17th February 2009, was produced by Bacchus, showing that she had paid $3,348,209 to the M&CC.

However, this amount was not reflected in the Treasury department’s records.

However, investigations by the Commission found unused duplicate copies of receipt #097 from volume 1612, while the original was missing.

Subsequent payments of $220,000 for interest accrued, and an $8,000 fee for the compliance certificate, were recorded, with automated receipts provided.

Records have revealed that the cashier for those latter transactions was one Charlene Gittens.

Up to and approximately midday of 2nd June 2009, the records did not indicate that the sum of $3,348,209 had been paid but showed that Ms Gittens’ total cash receipts for the 17th February reflected a total of $2.1 million.

However, after investigations began, sometime between midday and 1700 hours on 2nd June the cash receipts report tendered by Gittens was amended to reflect the missing sum, with the receipts for the smaller sums deleted, and an amended figure which totaled the three amounts paid, amounting to $5.25 million, was inserted into the Treasury Department’s records, although the records at the Republic Bank still reflected a total deposit of $2.1 million from this teller.

After conferring with the Minister, Commissioner Burrowes sequestered the City Treasury Department and reported the incident to Messrs Fordyce and Reid of the CID.

According to Commissioner Burrowes, the investigations of the Commission have been continuously uncovering dishonest and/or unprofessional acts perpetrated by persons unknown within the M & CC.

This has necessitated a continuum of investigations and recommendations by the Commission of Inquiry, which delayed closure of the final volume of the three volume report of the Commission.