News Briefs
Published:Wednesday | June 2, 2021 | 12:10 AM
Illegal cambio manager fined
Clifton Williams, the Sun Investments manager who pleaded guilty to breaches of the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) Act, was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment or a fine of J$300,000 when he appeared in the St James Parish Court on Monday.
The cases against his co-accused, Chairman Vernal Campbell and director Earl Swaby, will not be pursued as Williams confessed to acting alone and without their knowledge in operating the business contrary to the BOJ Act.
Over the period May 6-13, Williams, Campbell, and Swaby were charged for breaching Section 22A (ii and iii) of the BOJ Act – buying, selling, borrowing and lending foreign currency without being an authorised dealer.
The charges followed an investigation into the activities of Sun Investments by the Financial Investigations Division (FID) and the Constabulary Financial Unit.
Sun Investments, which was registered and started operation in 1994, had its licence revoked by the BOJ in 2018. The reasons for revocation are tied to the company breaching rules that govern the operation of cambios under the BOJ Act.
FID’s principal director Keith Darien said that the case took less than a month to complete from charges to sentencing.
Six held at ganja greenhouse charged
The six persons who were arrested in St James last week following a ganja bust at a premises on Spring Farm Boulevard have been charged.
Charged on Monday with possession of, dealing in and cultivating ganja are Rashford Galloway, 55; Gary Lewis, 43; Dovia Watson, 22; Wayne Pinnock, 31; Lance Foreman, 32; and Kadian Benjamin, 30.
The six accused, who are from St James addresses, are scheduled to appear before the St James Parish Court on Friday, June 4.
The narcotics police say the seizure was made during a 12-hour operation, which began about 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 27.
Detectives reportedly executed a search warrant at the premises and found potted ganja plants.
According to detectives, the search also revealed a hydroelectric greenhouse inside the house and approximately 40 vials containing hash oil, a by-product of ganja.
Approximately 450 pounds of ganja worth $1.8 million was reportedly seized.