The St. Catherine Municipal Corporation (SCMC) in Jamaica has become the focus of a sweeping multimillion-dollar fraud investigation led by the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA).
Law enforcement officials have revealed that fraudulent schemes, including no-show contracts, allegedly drained nearly $1 billion from the corporation’s coffers over several years. The four-year investigation, which began in 2020, uncovered systemic corruption involving payments for work that was never performed.
On Wednesday night, MOCA, supported by the police, army, and the Financial Investigations Division (FID), initiated operations across 17 locations in Kingston, St Catherine, and Westmoreland. Search warrants were executed at the SCMC’s main office in Spanish Town, which was temporarily closed to the public, as well as at the homes of several employees and their associates. Investigators reportedly seized computers, laptops, boxes of documents, and fraudulent cheques. Cash was also recovered at the residence of an associate linked to one employee.
“The operations are aimed at executing search warrants at various locations in connection with an investigation into allegations of serious organised crime,” said Major Basil Jarrett, MOCA’s director of communications.
Sources disclosed that both major political parties, the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the opposition People’s National Party (PNP), had individuals benefiting from the fraudulent schemes. However, MOCA clarified that no politicians were targeted in Thursday’s raids. Instead, the searches focused on the homes of accounting and engineering staff, as well as a former senior staff member.
Spanish Town Mayor Norman Scott denied reports that his home was among those searched during the operation.
So far, no arrests have been made. But according to Nationwide News, an employee of the corporation has been arrested and charged after ammunition was found at his home.
The St. Catherine Municipal Corporation is the local government body responsible for managing infrastructure, public services, and community development in the parish. The corporation is overseen by elected officials, including the Mayor of Spanish Town, Norman Scott, and administrative staff. Scott is also the Vice President of the Peoples’ National Party (PNP) and the caretaker for South East St Elizabeth.
