Last Updated on October 7, 2020, 5:50 AM AST by Anthony Morris
The National Audit Office requested an investigation on July 27, 2020, into suspected fraudulent payments made from the Severance Payment Fund to four employees (now former employees) of the Police Cooperative Credit Union.
The White Collar Crime Unit initiated an investigation into the matter and activities surrounding payments which were made from the Fund during May and June 2020.
Charges were proffered against The Deputy Labour Commissioner and the four former employees of the PCCU based on the findings of the investigations. The details of the charges are:
Garden’s Housing’s Hyacinth Phipps was charged with one count of Money Laundering by Possession, one count of Conspiracy for Committing Money Laundering by Possession, along with one count of Obtaining Money by False Pretence, one count of Money Laundering by Transactions, and one count of Demanding Money on Forged Documents.
Mario Wigley of Cayon was charged with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering by Possession, one count of Obtaining Money by False Pretence, one count of Money Laundering by Transactions, three counts of Uttering of Forged Documents, three counts of Forgery, and four counts of Demanding Money on Forged Documents.
Parray’s Extension’s Chanita Richards was charged with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering by Possession, one count of Money Laundering by Possession, one count of Money Laundering by Transactions, one count of Demanding Money on Forged Documents, and one count of Obtaining Money by False Pretence.
Gillard’s Meadows’ Tisharie Fyfield was charged with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering by Possession, one count of Obtaining Money by False Pretence, one count of Obtaining Money on Forged Documents, one count of Money Laundering by Possession.
New Road’s Deon Webb was charged for one count of Misconduct in Public Office, three counts of Uttering of Forged Documents, four counts of Causing Money to be Paid on Forged Documents and one count of Conspiracy for Committing Money Laundering by Possession.
They were all arrested and charged on October 04, 2020. The total amount of Money which is involved in the matter belongs to the Government of the St. Kitts and Nevis and amounts to EC $1,182,144.38.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
