Two teachers and a salary clerk who appeared before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish court on September 10, 2020 are scheduled to return to court on October 23, 2020.
In May 2019 detectives from the Financial Investigation Division (FID) charged the trio for several breaches of the Proceeds of Crime Act (Engaging in a Transaction involving Criminal Property) following a joint investigation between the FID and the JCF’s Fraud Squad.
Charged are:
- Jermaine Saunders a salary clerk in the Teachers Salary Unit of the Ministry of Education Youth and Information and of a St. Andrew Park, Kingston 10 address.
- Delroy Elliott a teacher at the Baillieston Primary School in Clarendon and hails from Walderston, Manchester.
- Ruel Young at teacher at the Moores Primary and Junior High School in Clarendon with an address in Rock River Clarendon
In summary, it is alleged that Saunders fraudulently overpaid the teachers in excess of Thirty Million Dollars (JMD 30,000,000). Of the sum overpaid, the teachers wired over Eleven Million Dollars (JMD 11,000,000) back to Saunders’ personal bank account.
Chief Technical Director of the FID, Selvin Hay said, “This case once again demonstrates the continued coordination and collaboration between the FID and the JCF in the fight against money launderers. Partnership is a key component in the country’s multi-sectoral approach to arresting crime and corruption at all levels.
This case again highlights a greater focus in identifying and prosecuting cases of money laundering. While persons will be charged for the predicate offences; if they launder the proceeds of the crime, they will be charged accordingly.”
All three accused were previously charged by Detectives from the Fraud Squad for the offences of Simple Larceny and Conspiracy to Defraud.