The police file on the suspected $600M Ministry of Public Service scam, in which former minister Dr. Jennifer Westford and a former employee have been implicated, is now back at the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum has confirmed.
Blanhum told Stabroek News yesterday afternoon that the file was sent to the Chambers earlier in the day.
Following the unearthing of an unauthorised attempt to transfer the registration of several vehicles belonging to the Public Service Ministry earlier this year, a decision was taken to conduct an in-depth probe of the former ministry. It was then that it was discovered that hundreds of millions of dollars could not be accounted for.
The figure was initially pegged at $120 million but after further probing it rose to over $600 million. The missing money had been transferred from the former Office of the President to allow for the Public Service Ministry to carry out duties in various regions.
Fingers were pointed at Westford and employee Margaret Cummings, who have already been charged with attempting to commit larceny, and forgery, respectively, as a result of the attempted vehicle transfers.
Police, after completing their investigation, sent over 20 files to the DPP for advice on September 7th. They were subsequently returned in order for additional work to be done by police.
