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Former minister Westford questioned in $120M PSM fraud
One day after her former Chief Personnel Officer, Margaret Cummings, was grilled by investigators, ex-Minister Dr. Jennifer Westford yesterday walked into the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, with her lawyers.
Questioned: Ex-Minister
Dr. Jennifer Westford
Police sleuths would have wanted to know what role, if any, she played in the withdrawal of $120M-plus from the accounts of the Public Service Ministry (PSM), between February and April, last, shortly before the General and Regional Elections on May 11.
Last week, Westford appeared in court charged with the illegal transfer of eight vehicles belonging to the state and was placed on a total of $800,000 bail.
Cummings was charged with forgery in relation to the same transfers and granted bail to the tune of $1.2M.
Both the former Minister and Cummings were among a number of persons that investigators wanted to talk to. Westford was reportedly asked to give a statement and was allowed to leave later in the day. Cummings was questioned on Monday and was asked to report again yesterday.
Investigators are hoping to know as early as Friday whether there is enough evidence for charges to be laid.
Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman, last week disclosed that the Government was unable to find where over $120M from the Ministry had gone. The monies were reportedly earmarked for training of staffers at the regional levels and withdrawn in tranches. However, checks with the intended recipients found that the withdrawn sums, each tranche to the tune of tens of millions, never reached the intended regions.
Trotman had indicated that the matter had been handed over to the police.
Several persons from the Ministry that are involved in preparing documents for payments have been questioned.
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