Investigation on alleged misuse of Police Credit Union money underway

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

POLICE has launched a full scale investigation into the alleged misuse of the Police Credit Union fund.

And, pending the report, charges are expected to be laid soon.

Police Commissioner Mathew Varley during the police weekly media conference said investigation has been going on for some time, adding that the case is complex.

“Investigators are exploring several years’ worth of documents which go way back to 2013 and 2014 and as one can imagine the volume of documents and materials will take time to complete the case.”

This however does not imply that investigations are not going well, he stresses.

One aspect which Commissioner Varley highlights is the administration of the credit union, which is separate from the police force; hence the force and the Commissioner have no control over the fund.

“However, what I do have control and am concerned with is the potential for offences both criminal and police disciplinary offences that are being committed to tarnish the reputation of the Police Force.

“And that is why I have taken this case pretty seriously,” Varley said.

Already, some staff and members of the committee of the credit union have been interviewed; and Varley has briefings from the director of the professional standards unit regularly.

“I can’t say too much as the matter is ongoing and at this pointing time charges have not been laid but I can tell you that number of people have been interviewed and we are working through some detailed financial record to determine exactly what had been happening,” Varley said.

He said investigators from the Police Professional Standard and Internal Investigation (PSII) and the fraud unit are currently working through a very large amount of banking documents and financial records.

“We have obtained various cheques and banking records from banks here in Honiara about financial affairs of the Credit Union,” Varley added.

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