Lewin

Already embarrassed by a major security blunder that led to the illegal purchase of close to $6 million worth of ammunition from a confessed criminal, the Jamaican Government may not be able to recover the money it pumped into the deal.

The Gleaner understands that up to Friday of last week, the Government was yet to recover a dime of the US$81,100 it pumped into the purchase of the bullets from Lance Brooks, owner and operator of Taylor and Associates, an arms-brokering business in Lauderhill, Florida.

The Gleaner was also informed that the United States authorities seized more than 250,000 rounds of ammunition.

Frozen accounts

An official copy of a letter sent by Commissioner of Police, Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin, to Prime Minister Bruce Golding was obtained under the Access to Information Act (ATI). The letter stated that the bank accounts for Taylor and Associates were frozen.

"Further information revealed that the bank accounts for Taylor and Associates, with approximately US$20,000, have been frozen and the Ministry of National Security is in communication with the US authorities to recover the money paid by the JCF," Lewin said in the letter dated September 11, 2008 - four days after a Sunday Gleaner exclusive into the security blunder.

"Every effort is being made to recover the money paid and, from the lessons learnt, controls instituted to prevent a recurrence of this nature," said Lewin in the closing paragraph of his missive to the prime minister.

Insufficient diligence

Lewin also told Golding "it is clear that insufficient due diligence was carried out on Mr Lance Brooks or his company, Taylor and Associates".

However, the commissioner noted that the JCF entered into transactions with Taylor and Associates prior to the date that the first indictment was levelled against Brooks.

In September, the JCF revealed that some senior operatives were conducting a high-level investigation into the matter to ascertain who was responsible for the major blunder. Lance Brooks - the supplier - was not licensed to sell defence items, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) revealed.

Lewin could not be reached for a comment as he was said to be out of office.

National Security Minister, Colonel Trevor MacMillan's mobile phone rang without an answer.

tyrone.reid@gleanerjm.com