Jennifer Chapman, the Deputy Accountant General at the Ministry of Finance, yesterday testified that she handed over 23 cheques, dated from August, 2011 to March, 2015, to the police for the investigation of the alleged theft of over $600 million by former public service minister Jennifer Westford and aide Margaret Cummings.
When the trial continued yesterday, Chapman told the court that the police visited her and questioned her about the matter concerning Westford and Cummings, who are on trial for allegedly stealing the funds under the former PPP/C government. The witness told the court that she had previously known Cummings as the ministry’s Personnel Secretary for five years.
Chapman said that during her interview with the police, she was required to hand over documents in relation to the matter.
The witness said that the police had requested from her 23 cheques, which detailed their number, date, name of payee, and the amount of the cheque.
She said that the cheques, dating from 2011 to 2014, were returned to the Accountant General’s Office by the Bank of Guyana at the end of the year, while those dated for 2015 were requested from the Bank of Guyana. She explained they had to be requested since the bank only returns cheques at the end of the year.
Chapman also explained that the cheques reflected transactions from the Inter-Departmental Warrants issued by Public Service Ministry. Chapman said the warrants were issued by the ministry to the former Office of the President. She said the funds would then be released by the Ministry of Finance, but before that a statement has to be prepared to define the purpose of the warrant.
During testimony last month, Andre Dazzel, the Chief Accountant at the Ministry of the Presidency, had told the court that the Inter-Departmental Warrants detail the head or line item from which the money will be taken from, as well as the purpose and the amount.
He said that the document is prepared with five copies and it must be signed by the Permanent Secretary of the subject ministry. The trial was adjourned by Magistrate Judy Latchman until November 28.
