NWC employee, woman charged with money laundering, corruption
Published:Monday | August 28, 2017 | 7:23 PM
An employee of the National Water Commission (NWC) and a businesswoman are to appear in court in St James on September 6 on money laundering and corruption charges.
NWC Implementation Officer, Damion Oliver Simms, and businesswoman Tessa Morris, were arrested last Thursday following simultaneous search operations at their houses.
The arrests were made by detectives from the Financial Investigations Division (FID) and the Counter Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigations Branch.
It’s alleged that from 2015 to 2016, Simms used his position as Implementation Officer to conspire with Morris and other individuals to secure small to medium-sized contracts totalling millions of dollars.
The FID says investigations revealed that Simms would control the process, which involved conducting site visits and approval of contract payments.
It says proceeds of these contract payments amounting to over $3.6 million were then deposited to his bank account.
Simms and Morris were each offered bail in the amount of $200,000.
The Financial Investigation Division is warning that no effort will be spared in investigating and prosecuting persons involved in corruption and the facilitation of money laundering.