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published: Wednesday | November 21, 2007
An investigation into millions of dollars that went missing at the Ministry of Finance's Financial Investigation Division (FID) has revealed that an additional $1.4 million was stolen from a vault.
Initial reports indicated that $17 million, money seized by the division and which was being kept by the FID for evidence, went missing between August and October.
A report submitted to Finance and Planning Minister Audley Shaw, by head of the FID, Christine Chambers, showed that US$259,857 (J$18.4 million) and J$66,100 was removed from the vault.
Lie detector test
Mr. Shaw told The Gleaner yesterday that 12 persons, comprising personnel from the FID and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), faced a polygraph test.
He said two persons from the group refused to take the polygraph test. There are reports that at least one person failed the test.
General Secretary of the Police Federation, Hartley Stewart, told The Gleaner that some members of the JCF have expressed concern over the process. He told The Gleaner that he would be having a meeting today with the members to allow them to air their grouses.
"We have been made aware by members of the situation and I have not been fully briefed, but at this time, we do not have a specific objection."
No objection
Meanwhile, President of the Jamaica Civil Service Association, Wayne Jones, said that his organisation did not have an objections to the tests, as long as the rights of the worker were not violated.
It was also disclosed that some personnel assigned to the FID had either resigned or were transferred before it was discovered that the money was missing.
Mr. Shaw said he could not confirm whether those persons who had left the FID prior to the revelation of the missing money were also under investigation.
He said the police have not provided a report on the investigation.
Head of the Major Investigation Task Force, Assistant Commis-sioner of Police Les Green, said the police have identified 80 persons for questioning and they have already interrogated 40.
An investigation into millions of dollars that went missing at the Ministry of Finance's Financial Investigation Division (FID) has revealed that an additional $1.4 million was stolen from a vault.
Initial reports indicated that $17 million, money seized by the division and which was being kept by the FID for evidence, went missing between August and October.
A report submitted to Finance and Planning Minister Audley Shaw, by head of the FID, Christine Chambers, showed that US$259,857 (J$18.4 million) and J$66,100 was removed from the vault.
Lie detector test
Mr. Shaw told The Gleaner yesterday that 12 persons, comprising personnel from the FID and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), faced a polygraph test.
He said two persons from the group refused to take the polygraph test. There are reports that at least one person failed the test.
General Secretary of the Police Federation, Hartley Stewart, told The Gleaner that some members of the JCF have expressed concern over the process. He told The Gleaner that he would be having a meeting today with the members to allow them to air their grouses.
"We have been made aware by members of the situation and I have not been fully briefed, but at this time, we do not have a specific objection."
No objection
Meanwhile, President of the Jamaica Civil Service Association, Wayne Jones, said that his organisation did not have an objections to the tests, as long as the rights of the worker were not violated.
It was also disclosed that some personnel assigned to the FID had either resigned or were transferred before it was discovered that the money was missing.
Mr. Shaw said he could not confirm whether those persons who had left the FID prior to the revelation of the missing money were also under investigation.
He said the police have not provided a report on the investigation.
Head of the Major Investigation Task Force, Assistant Commis-sioner of Police Les Green, said the police have identified 80 persons for questioning and they have already interrogated 40.