Taxpayers will have to refund accused man’s $21k, as money seized in dismissed forfeiture case has vanished

It appears that taxpayers will have to refund money that was
suspected of being gained through illicit means, as the funds seized
in a forfeiture case have gone missing – while the matter, itself, has
been thrown out of court.

Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel had threatened to dismiss the case after
the Police were unable to produce the more than $21,000 in cash
that was confiscated from a man allegedly caught with marijuana.
Allegedly, lawmen also found the accused with EC$18,000 and
US$1,500.

Officers suspected that these funds had been earned through illicit
activity, and therefore sought to have the Court confiscate the funds
through forfeiture.

When the matter was initially called, the monies were present in
court but the matter had to be adjourned.

Since that first occasion, however, the monies have not been seen,
and the investigator and the prosecutor have been unable to give
account for the missing funds.

Blame was laid on a female prosecutor who, it turned out, had had
nothing to do with the case.

It was alleged that the investigator had left the money with the
prosecutor after a previous court outing, instead of signing it back
in.

That prosecutor had been off island for some time, but has since
returned to the country and is back on duty.

However, because of the reported close links between the female
officer and a senior officer, it is alleged that an internal investigation
into the missing funds – started in August 2023 – was halted.

Now that the matter has been thrown out and taxpayers will be
responsible for paying back the sum, pundits are wondering
whether the probe will recommence and those responsible for the
money’s disappearance will be held accountable.

Had the accused been convicted, however, the forfeited sums would
have gone into the Consolidated Fund.