Forged letterheads probed

 By ELIZABETH MIAE

AN investigation has begun into the circulation of letters which are using forged Department of Lands and Physical Planning letterheads, an official said.

The letters include the signature of the secretary to the department Romilly Kila Pat.

Kila Pat told The National on Wednesday that his office has been receiving the letters in the past 

two weeks.

He said they wanted to find out if the letters originated from within the department or outside. 

They are working with the police on it.

“I’m not going to let the Department of Lands go down that easily. This is very serious,” he said.

On Wednesday, Kila Pat was at the Public Accounts Committee hearing on Wednesday into the department and the National Housing Corporation.

Committee chairman John Hickey questioned Kila Pat on how land titles were being transferred to people other than the legitimate purchasers.

Kila Pat said the department played a facilitating role and in the case of transferring of titles, it would not eventuate without consultation with NHC.

“We do have people out there with forged documents and we’re now investigating to try to identify people with fraudulent titles,” he said.

He said to prevent the fraudulent transferring of titles, they were looking at including special features to the title document including the usage of new stamps. 

He told the committee that it would be an expensive exercise but it would help to clamp down on the illegal transfer of titles.