Maritime Police Station ‘Under Watch’
The irregular banking and unaccounted receipts from the Taveuni Police Station in the Northern Division has been referred by Police to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. This was revealed by Police Chief Administration Officer ACP Itendra Nair during the submissions on the 2016 Auditor General Report to the Public Accounts Committee yesterday.
“Taveuni Police Station, during the verification of bank lodgments for the station, it was discovered that there was irregular banking and some receipts were not accounted for,” he said.
“An investigation has been carried out by the Police Internal Af- fairs Department and the case has been handed to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for a further directive.” He said the matter was raised with the DPP last month and they were still waiting for the decision or advice for the case. Meanwhile, ACP Nair said, on the anomalies finding found in the revenue - as advised by the Office of the Auditor General - the various revenue collectors based at various Stations throughout the country were Police officers who were performing additional work apart from their core function as officers.
“However for internal controls instructions are given for stations to have assistant account officers who are now based in various divisional Police commanders’ of- fices,” he said.
“We have decentralised the function and these officers are instructed to conduct regular inspections on their revenue collectors and provide training for the remote and maritime stations enabling us to detect any anomalies in the collection and banking.”
He said accounts officers were reminded to conduct daily banking where facilities were provided, except for the remote maritime Police stations.
PAC members were told that revenue for the force was derived from Police clearances facilitated by the Criminal Records Office, licences paid annually and the execution of certain warrants.