Who really searched me? – Jomo Rose

A local businessman is wondering whether two men who searched his pockets and wallet at Heritage Square after identifying themselves as police officers attached to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) were in fact lawmen.

Local business manager Jomo Rose, who runs two stores in the Baynes Building on Granby Street said that on Friday January 15,he was at Heritage Square getting something to eat when two men {{more}} approached him and showed him identification and told him they were FIU police officers.

“They asked me to come aside, but I told them anything they wanted to say or do they could do it right where I was. They said there were FIU police and that they were investigating me for money laundering and they understand that I handle a lot of foreign currency. I laugh and said that’s a wrong story, where you get if from?” said Rose who described the allegations made by the men as laughable.

“They asked to search my pockets and wallet and I allowed them and after they found nothing, they asked me who the two stores that I was operating belong to. I told them that my sister was in the Navy and the stores were hers, a way of investing her money,” explained Rose.

He said that the accusations of money laundering and foreign currency handling seemed like a joke as he does not generate enough money or handle enough foreign currency to be placed in such a bracket by the FIU, hence his question, “were they really police men from FIU?”.

Rose said that the only foreign currency he comes in contact with is from his three sisters and niece who are all gainfully employed in England and sometimes send money to him for his mother.

“This is confusing because I can’t see FIU having somebody under investigation and telling them, ‘hey, you’re under investigation, I have to search you’. Wouldn’t that alert me of their activities? This is like a joke, so that is why I have to wonder if they are really police or if they were just two men looking to take money from me.”

“Suppose I had the business money on me, what they would do take the business money?” asked Rose.

“I mean, let’s say they are FIU police, why don’t they go and look for the real money launderers and criminals and stop harassing a man trying his best to make an honest living? In the past I might have gotten involved with a little fighting or traffic case but I have never been arrested for, or been involved in drugs. Why these two pick me?

“I feel disturbed. They on games. I don’t know if is two men who wanted to take my money. A man trying to help he self honestly and they coming to disturb me. The last money I had was a US$100 and they come talking about foreign currency,” said the amused Rose.

When contacted on Wednesday, the female FIU employee who answered the phone said that acting FIU Director Lateisha Sandy was out of office until Monday and could not be reached for a reply.

When told about the incident involving Rose, she placed the call on hold and said she would enquire and returned a few seconds later and stated that no one at the FIU had knowledge of the incident.

She said that she also found it strange that FIU Officers would tell someone being investigated that they were in fact being scrutinized by the agency.(LC)