Mitra -Ann Prescott, Junior Clerk, appeared before the Serious Offences Court this morning and was charged that between the 17th January and the 21st December 2018, she stole eighty seven thousand, four hundred dollars- $87,400 XCD, between the 17th January and 21st December 2018 being employed in the public service and being charged with the performance of her duty as a Junior Clerk attached to the RSVGPF received the sum of $87,400.XCD on accrual of invoices in the name of Gary’s Garage, Gareth Sayers and Gareth Rahson Sayers.
She was further charged that on the 2nd January to 14 August, 2019, she stole sixty thousand four hundred dollars, – $60,400 XCD being employed in the public service and being charged with the performance of her duty as a Junior Clerk attached to the RSVGPF by virtue of such employment corruptly agreed to receive the sum of $60,400.XCD on accrual of invoices in the name of Gary’s Garage, Gareth Sayers and Gareth Rahson Sayers and on the 11 August to 29 December 2019, stole six thousand five hundred dollars – $6,500XCD, property of the government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Prescott was granted bail in the sum of $150,000.00 XCD and she is to report to the Calliaqua Police Station every Monday. She was also asked to surrender all travel documents.
The matter was transferred to the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court and would be heard on February 25, 2020.
ANN understands that more charges are expected to be brought against Prescott as investigation continues.
Prescott is being represented by Lawyer Jomo Thomas
The investigating officer is ASP Ballantyne of Criminal Investigation Department
RELATED ARTICLE:
In October of this year ANN reported that two persons were sent on leave following the misappropriation of approximately two hundred thousand dollars at the RSVGPF.
The report stated that a Junior Clerk, assigned to the Accounts Department as a Votes Clerk, over the past few years has been entering invoices for an individual in Victoria Village, Stubbs for supplying tyres to the police Transport.
According to the report posted earlier this year, the officer found a way to have these claims approved on the Smart stream system.
After approval was granted through the system, the officer would then produce orders for the Office Attendant to collect the cheque from the treasury department. ANN understands that the treasury deptartment picked up on these transactions and the officer was cautioned.
The source is also saying that the officer found another way to beat the system and continued with these transactions until the Audit department stepped in and queried the transactions. Both the Office Attendant and the Junior Clerk were sent on Vacation leave by the Service Commissions Department.
The clerk up until the end of December and the office attendant until November. In an update received by ANN, it is reported that the Junior Clerk, Mitrann Prescott has been charged and is in police custody. However, ANN is uncertain as to the nature of the charges at this time.
It is unclear if charges will be brought against the Office Attendant at this time.