Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade said he is not surprised at the growing number of corruption investigations raring their heads in the past few weeks.
Noting that there are currently 11 such files under review by the police, the commissioner suggests such cases are not limited to the public sector, but the private sector as well.
These sentiments come after the national security minister’s announcement of the implementation of the Anti-Corruption Unit of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF), which according to Commissioner Greenslade is in full swing.
“The unit was created to look at corruption issues. It is the anticorruption branch, and it is located on Nassau Street facilities just north of Meeting Street.” the commissioner said.
The branch is headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Paul Rolle, whose abilities were touted by Commissioner Greenslade during an interview with reporters after the launch ceremony of the RBPF’s annual summer camp yesterday at Calvary Bible Church.
“He is a very capable young man. He’s trained. He as well as other officers on his team have mastered their resources and looking now at 11 separate files originating from various departments and various public corporations,” he said.
The commissioner, not being specific, gave an idea of possible charges involved in the investigations.
“It’s going to be a wide range of issues we’re looking at. Are things being misappropriated? When you look at corruption investigations, you can’t divorce from it things like stealing and the misappropriation of funds. All of those things are in an investigation,” he said.
“We have any number of officers assigned led by ACP Rolle. Like I said, they are investigating 11 files. I receive reports on a daily basis, verbally and written.
“I’m very satisfied that we’re making good progress. We anticipate that we will be coming back to the public real soon and to say some things more decisively in terms of what will happen with some of those investigations.”
Last month, eight employees of the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) were questioned by police for involvement in a theft investigation.
One of the eight employees included Former House Speaker and Nassau Village Member of Parliament (MP) Dion Smith.
An investigation ensued subsequently at the Customs Department for misappropriation of funds.
