Convicted ex-public official Lawrence Pommels ordered to forfeit $40 million to gov't

Convicted ex-public official Lawrence Pommels has been ordered by the Supreme Court to forfeit $40 million in cash and other assets to the Government.

The order was made by Justice Yvonne Brown today, according to the Financial Investigation Division (FID).

The FID is an agency under the Finance Ministry that enforces Jamaica's Proceed of Crime Act (POCA).

The cash includes J$36.2 million and US$4,800; $3 million held in a savings account; and $1 million that was placed in a credit union account following the sale of a Mercedes Benz motor car, a statement from the FID said.

The cars forfeited by Pommels are a 2016 BMW X6; a 2014 Audi Q7; and a 2009 Honda Accord.

Pommels was appointed acting chief engineer at the now shuttered government-owned entity National Energy Solutions Limited without the required qualifications.

On May 20 this year, he was sentenced to nine months in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of possession of criminal property and two breaches of Corruption Prevention Act.

The punishment was part of a plea deal that required him to forfeit 80 per cent of the total value of the cash and other assets seized during his 2018 arrest in New Harbour, St Catherine.

Keith Darien, principal director of investigation at the FID, said the case is a major achievement which demonstrates the agency's commitment to hold perpetrators of financial crimes accountable. 

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