Police quiz education employee over fake letters

As of Friday, June 23, 2017

AN employee of the Ministry of Education was questioned by police yesterday and has been put on administrative leave after it was revealed that a staff member was creating “fake job letters” to allow people to qualify for fast loans.

The revelation came in a statement released by the Ministry of Education last night as it refuted reports that three employees had been arrested over the alleged theft of $245,000.

“The Department of Education categorically refutes circulating media reports about the arrest of three Ministry of Education employees, now reportedly in police custody, involving the alleged stealing of $245,000,” the statement noted.

“To be clear, a staff member of the ministry’s Performance Appraisal Unit was interviewed under caution by the police today at the Ministry of Education headquarters on Thompson Blvd, after it was brought to the attention of the Ministry of Education by a local financial institution that a staff member was involved in the production of fake job letters for non-ministry employees, who sought to qualify for fast loans.

“The public is hereby informed that the staff member (in) question has been given a one-week administrative leave while the investigation continues,” the statement noted.

This comes as police as are still investigating the suspected theft of millions of dollars from Bahamas Power and Light.

On Wednesday, Minister of Works Desmond Bannister told The Tribune he has authorised the board at BPL to “take the necessary steps” to remove persons from the company in relation to the alleged theft.

According to a well-placed source, the amount allegedly stolen is now suspected to be about $4 million.

Last month, four BPL employees were suspended and one person was terminated pending the outcome of the theft investigation, The Tribune was told.

Employees were accused of “orchestrating an elaborate scheme” that allegedly involved fake companies and forged cheques. Allegedly at least one bank employee was also involved in the plot and was being investigated, a source told The Tribune.