Two suspended by TCI Employment Services past pre-trial, outcome looms on corruption arrest

#Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Monday June 11, 2018 – The two women arrested in a joint investigation involving the Turks and Caicos Islands Integrity Commission and the Police Financial Crimes Unit, last week returned to court for their pre-trial hearings.

Vicki Wilson and Shadika Green were staff of the Employment Services Department in Providenciales when they were arrested for allegedly behaving corruptly on their government jobs.

Both women are now suspended.  Green is represented by attorney Clayton Green and Oliver Smith is the lawyer for Wilson.

TCI Police reported of the case in October last year that, “On Monday 27 March 2017 two females working at the Employment Services Unit of the Immigration Department were arrested on suspicion of uttering numerous amounts of Turks and Caicos Islands Government Work Permit Cards.

Following a joint investigation between the RT&CIPF Financial Crime Unit and the Integrity Commission, a 48 year old female of Providenciales was formally charged and caution for 13 counts of uttering forged document, one count of corruption and one count of use of criminal property.   The investigation commenced in November 2016 after number of allegations of Forged Turks and Caicos Islands Work Permits being issued to a number of persons within the Haitian and Dominican Communities.

The person charged appeared at court yesterday and was not allowed to enter a plea.   The 48 year old is presently on $10,000 bail.”

At the time of the headline grabbing arrests, the Minister of Border Control and Immigration, Deputy Premier Sean Astwood said:  “these activities will be on-going and we are committed to seeing them through to ensure that the Ministry of Border Control and Employment can operate as a well managed, efficient and responsive organization that consistently delivers on its corporate objectives and responsibilities.”

Green was 28-years-old at the time of the arrest in March last year.  Shadika Green’s pre-trial hearing was at the Provo Supreme Court before Justice Hon Shiraz Aziz

Wilson, the elder of pair charged had her pre trial hearing on June 4; Justice Aziz will also preside in her case.