WHERE THE MONEY GONE?By NALINEE SEELAL Thursday, December 31 2009
DRUG money totalling US$94,000 (TT$599,720), seized from an alleged Couva drug lord during a raid earlier this year, which formed part of exhibits in the court case against the suspect, has gone missing from the property room of the Couva Police Station, where it was lodged for safekeeping.
The money was discovered missing on Tuesday during a handover by the property keeper at the station to another officer. Acting Commissioner of Police (CoP) James Philbert yesterday confirmed that senior officers from the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau (ACIB) are investigating the disappearance.
According to sources, at about 5 pm on Tuesday, ASP Jules, the property keeper, discovered the property room unlocked and an envelope containing the money missing. A report was immediately made to Philbert who gave certain instructions. Senior Superintendent Terry Young of the ACIB is assigned to probe the disappearance.
Yesterday, Senior Superintendent Christine Mc Millan, head of Police Central Division told Newsday she is also assisting in the investigation and expects to submit a report to Philbert sometime today.
Records at the station, which indicate when the money was last lodged and all station diaries which were in use at the time of the discovery of the missing money, have been seized by ACIB detectives yesterday.
Philbert told Newsday that he has already received an interim report on the disappearance of the money and is awaiting another report from investigators. “We are pursuing the matter vigorously and at the end of the investigation, firm decisions will be made,” Philbert assured, reiterating that the police executive which he heads, will not tolerate such incidences.
He admitted that the larceny of the cash was an embarrassment to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and assured that as acting Commissioner of Police he will not allow the matter to be swept under the carpet. The money was seized from the home of a suspected drug lord in Couva on November 7, 2008. The raid was carried out by officers of the Inter-Agency Task Force and the man was charged with unlawful possession of the US$94,000.
The court matter was last heard on December 10 and adjourned to January 11, when a decision is expected to be made by the presiding magistrate. Police sources say they believe the money was stolen from the property room and not misplaced.
On August 8, after a cache of arms was found in the ceiling of the St Joseph Police Station, Philbert ordered an audit to be carried out by property keepers at all police stations in the country.
He also instructed that new measures be implemented with respect to the lodging of court exhibits.
