Senior police officers facing fraud-related charges

By SYLVESTER WEMURU
TWO senior police officers are to defend themselves in court over charges of misappropriation, abuse of office and conspiracy to defraud.
Former assistant commissioner of police (human resources) Sylvester Kalaut and the acting director of the police human resources Supt Bob Kerry are each facing two counts of misappropriation, one count of abuse of office and one count of conspiracy to defraud the State.
The charges relate to the pension funds for police officers.
Police allege that between Dec 19, 2018 and Dec 31, 2019, the two were signatories to the police pension account with the Bank South Pacific.
The alleged amount involved is K948,815.67.
Both have been released on bail.
Kalaut said yesterday he accepted the action taken by the police and would defend himself in court.
He said he had already been suspended four times for a total of 84 days, before he was dismissed, but no charges were laid against him until now.
He said the court had granted him a stay order on his dismissal.
He also filed a judicial review over the appointment of David Manning as police commissioner which was granted last Thursday.
Kalaut maintains his innocence.