By Chantalé Fletcher
A checker employed at the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries has been charged with two counts of misbehaviour in public office.
He appeared virtually before a Port of Spain Magistrate on Monday.
A release from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Services (TTPS) on Monday stated that Jimboy Bruno, 38, of Bon Air, allegedly used his employment with the State to facilitate possible corrupt activities within the Office of the Commissioner of State Lands.
The charges came following the advice received from the Director of Public Prosecutions, Roger Gaspard, SC, on March 13.
Reports stated that officers from the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau (ACIB), executed a search warrant Bruno’s office, where they allegedly found several forged Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Ministry of Agriculture Land and Fisheries, Land Management Division, Commissioner of State Lands letters, in a desk of a ministry employee.
In addition, one of the letters dated February 3, 2020, was found in the name of a man, falsely granting him permission to occupy State Lands located in South Oropouche.
Police stated when the man was interviewed by investigators, he handed them a copy of the forged letter and allegedly confessed that he was given the document by the ministry employee upon paying the sum of $700.
Bruno was arrested and charged with the offences by PC Leaticia Dillon on March 13. He was the second person arrested and charged in connection with forgery of Commissioner of State Lands letters in the past week.
On March 10, Devon Richardson appeared before a Chaguanas Magistrate, charged with uttering a forged document to a representative of the State.
Richardson was granted bail with surety in the sum of $150,000 or alternatively $50,000.
In addition, he was also ordered to report to a police station in his district once per week and the matter adjourned to April 8.
Investigations were supervised by Snr. Supt. Deryck Walker and Supt. Avinash Singh and assisted by Insp. Bryon Daniel, Insp Alicia Mc Millian and Sgt. Gerrard Baldwin, all of the ACIB.
