REAL NEWS: The Police have launched an internal investigation into the disappearance of over $21,000 in cash that had been in the custody of a female officer.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES.
Reports say the money was confiscated because the Police believed it to be ill-gotten gains.
As a result of the seizure, the accused person has to appear before the Court to prove that the money was obtained legally and is not the proceeds of crime.
However, a source tells REAL News that when the forfeiture matter came up for trial last week in the All Saints Magistrates Court, the money – an exhibit in the case – could not be presented.
It is alleged that, while giving evidence, the investigating officer could not produce the EC$18,000 and US$1,500 that had been taken from the accused.
It appears that she had misplaced the funds and could not remember what she had done with the sum of money. When she was questioned about it, the source says, the officer reportedly gave the Court various excuses and attempted to implicate the now-suspended Chief Magistrate in the matter.
If they are not ready to proceed with a case, the Police cannot keep large sums that are exhibits without receiving permission to hold onto the money until trial. And, according to the source, in most cases a continued detention would be granted for three months at a time.
Reports say the case is a District B matter; and, at one point, it had gone before Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh since Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel was on leave. Walsh reportedly had granted the continued detention for three months. In requesting further detention of the money, the source explains, the Court has to be satisfied with the reasons given by the Police, and the officer, therefore, would have to swear an affidavit. This means that the money would have remained in the custody of the Police and not the Court. However, it is alleged that Magistrate Emanuel failed to take this information into account.
Reports say the female investigator also attempted to blame two other prosecutors, one of whom was before Magistrate Conliffe Clarke when the matter first went before the All Saints Court. It was, indeed, another prosecutor who dealt with the matter at that time, and her name is on the report that accompanies the case files. However, since the matter was adjourned, the case did not begin with that officer, and she would not have had possession of the money. Reports say this prosecutor is currently off-island. But she allegedly has claimed she never received the money, nor does she have any knowledge of what the investigator might have done with it. Interestingly, it is alleged that the investigator, at some point earlier, had signed out the cash from the Exhibit Room; however, there is no record of her returning the money. Having been notified of the baffling situation, Superintendent Lisborn Michael – the officer in charge of the Criminal Investigations Department – reportedly has initiated a probe. Sources claim he has appointed an inspector to investigate the disappearance of the money. Meanwhile, they also allege that Magistrate Emanuel is threatening to throw out the case if the cash exhibit is not presented to the Court on the date of the next hearing. And without the exhibit the case cannot proceed.
If the Court had ruled that the cash be forfeited to the State, it would have gone into the Treasury or Consolidated Fund. But if the magistrate tosses the case, what is likely to happen is that the Police will have to find the cash to return to the accused person.
Аdvеrtіѕе wіth thе most visited news site in Antigua and Barbuda ~ Wе оffеr fullу сuѕtоmіzаblе аnd flехіblе dіgіtаl mаrkеtіng расkаgеѕ. Yоur соntеnt іѕ dеlіvеrеd іnѕtаntlу tо thоuѕаndѕ оf uѕеrѕ іn Antigua аnd аbrоаd via our One Signal push notifications! Соntасt uѕ аt [email protected].
———————————————————————
CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES.
Make a donation to help support ABN, via PayPal: [email protected]. Follow Antigua Breaking News on Twitter @ABNAntigua and Instgram @AntiguaBreakingNews and on Facebook. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-868-704-9864 or email us at [email protected].
JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.
JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.
JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.
JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.
JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.
JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.
JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.
JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.
JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.
JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.
JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.
JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR NEWS UPDATES: CLICK HERE.
2 responses to “Police officer ‘misplaces’ $21,000 seized as evidence”
HOW CAN A POLICE OFFICER CLAIM TO HAVE MISPLACED CASH WHIICH WAS CONFISCATED FROM AN ACCUSED PERSON WHICH WOULD BE NEEDED AS EVIDENCE?
SHE SHOULD HAVE TO PRODUCE IT FROM HER OWN POCKET..
NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING SO RIDICULOUS COMING FROM A SO CALLED PROFFESSIONAL.
Are you a kill me.Murder, murder Money disappear from police or misplaced.Oh Lawd a what go so.He na sound good.Come on Atley Rodney time for action shake up the police force.