good afternoon I am Andrea Chism with the midday news for this Wednesday
October 9 a special welcome if you're watching on one spot media.com there has
been a major development in the corruption probe involving former
education minister well-read and the government entities which fell under his
portfolio mr. Reid the president of the cabin maritime University professor
Fritz pinnock and counselor for the brownstone division in st. Anne Kim
Brown Lawrence were this morning detained by the police following raids
at their houses TV jeiza Shane masters reports the major organized crime and
anti-corruption agency mocha says for simultaneous operations were carried out
targeting the main suspects implicated in multimillion-dollar corruption and
foreign schemes perpetrated at the Ministry of Education CMU and other
government entities the operations which got underway at 5 o'clock this morning
took place in st. Andrews and Catherine Anderson tan the house of former member
of parliament and CMU employee of nee Lawrence was also searched he has not
been detained the raids also involved the financial investigation division fi
Dee and the Constabulary financial unit of the counterterrorism and organized
crime division C top information reaching TVJ news is that former
education minister rural Reid and two members of his family are likely to be
taken into custody later today in the Caribbean maritime university CMU
education ministry corruption probe mr. Reid resigned on March 20 amid the
corruption allegations and yesterday pinnock was sent on special leaf with me
that effect pending the outcome of the probe Moka said the investigations
involved allegations of corruption fraud and misappropriation of public funds
involving the ministry of education and at the CMU in a statement released
earlier this morning mocha did not name those arrested
however it reported that a number of persons were arrested and taken into
custody for further questioning this morning the Director of Public
Prosecutions DPP Paul aluminum said since her last
consultation with law enforcement authorities three months ago there has
been no further contact the Lord let me make it quite clear please the DPP the
VP's office and I had a team of four lawyers we prepared a 13-page opinion
which we said has been submitted has made no recommendation so the FIB and
the police authority in July Lauren found that for criminal laws may have
been breached by key players in the Royal we to CMU corruption case in
addition to the breaches of the four criminal laws the DPP said they were
possible to common law offenses and possible administrative breaches she
also recommended further investigations but said the decision whether to arrest
and charge any of the accused and placed them before the court rested with the
police and other investigative the body's machine masters TVJ news and for
more details on the raids carried out this morning here Stevie J Kirk right
before daybreak mocha operatives souped down on
professor Phoenix hellshire home in st. Catherine the
police took several items from his home some of which appeared to be cellular
phones and other electronic gadgets the police were observed recording aspects
of their operation on several occasions professor pinic was seen moving in and
out his house during one of the exchanges outside the house the police
had him sign a document but minutes before he was taken away
in an unmarked vehicle the professor was seen kissing relatives goodbye in
Kingston at MOCA headquarters at the NC B towers he was escorted into the
building surrounded by police but without handles Kirk right TV genius
in the meantime information Minister Khar Samudra gave the government's
initial reactor reaction to this morning's operation by the police what
they have done is as a consequence of what they have investigated and their
findings and it is part of what makes us an established and recognized country
governed by the rule of law and that applies to everyone no matter what
position you hold so basically I know nothing beyond what I have been advised
I find it regrettable I find it unfortunate because it hits at the heart
of what we are all striving to achieve and that is a stable and responsible
country that adheres to all the tenants of good governance among which at the
pinnacle is the rule of law so beyond that and not much more I can I can
advise you on we await further updates from the security forces and they are
free and they are authorized to take whatever measures in their view are
appropriate to handling this situation and it's time for a break here on the
midday news but stay with us more stories right after these messages