Public servant accused of stealing government funds

Green Hill resident, Stacia Aberdeen, will remain in police custody until next Monday, when a bail review is scheduled to be held, as investigations continue into the misappropriation of government funds, alleged to be in excess of $100,000.{{more}}

Aberdeen, 24, who is a public servant at the Inland Revenue Department, appeared at the Kingstown Magistrates Court yesterday, Monday, August 29, to answer four charges laid against her.

The charges read that on February 24, 2010, Aberdeen stole $100, the property of the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines. She was also charged for stealing another $100, property of the Government of SVG, on that same date.

The third charge reads that on February 24, 2010, Aberdeen, with intent to cause loss to the Government of SVG, dishonestly falsified receipt number 63-842, intending the figure to be $30 instead of $130. On the same date, Aberdeen, with intent to cause loss to the Government of SVG, dishonestly falsified receipt number 63-805, intending the figure to be $25 instead of $125.

She was not required to plead to the indictable charges.

However, those charges are just the tip of the iceberg. The court’s prosecutor, Inspector Nigel Butcher, in objecting to the young woman being given bail, noted that more charges are likely to be laid against the accused woman.

Butcher indicated that a multiplicity of charges are likely to be brought against Aberdeen as the police are continuing their investigations into the money which is alleged to have gone missing at the IRD. Butcher noted that Aberdeen is the main focus of their investigations.

He said he also considered the accused woman a flight risk, stating that she had attempted to leave the state via speed boat.

“It is a fact that she was making an attempt to leave via speed boat and it was the vigilance of the police that helped to catch her,” Butcher disclosed.

In response to Inspector Butcher, legal counsel for Aberdeen, Arthur Williams, told the court that his client never attempted to leave the state, but turned herself into the police voluntarily.

He said that his client should be granted bail, even if it means she has to report to the police every day.

Senior Magistrate Donald Browne indicated that he would not consider bail at the present time and he would keep Aberdeen in custody until Monday, September 5, for bail review.

When contacted, head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Willisford Caesar confirmed that more charges are expected to be laid against Aberdeen in respect of the missing money.