Masked men steal millions from Scotiabank ABM in Portmore, St. Catherine

Masked men broke into the automated banking machine service room at a Scotiabank branch on Brighton Parkway in Portmore, St. Catherine, and removed a large amount of cash between 3:00 p.m. on Saturday and early Sunday morning, sources say.

The haul is still being counted, but reports put the figure in the millions in both United States and Jamaican currency. Well-placed sources said surveillance footage shows men dressed in black, wearing gloves, driving a green Nissan Latio sedan onto the banking compound, entering the ABM service room, and using security codes to open several machine safes.

Police declined to comment when contacted, and investigations are continuing.

Separately, detectives in Manchester and St. Elizabeth are tracing events that may link a fiery crash on the Williamsfield leg of Highway 2000 to a break-in at a business near Red Bank, Junction, in St. Elizabeth.

Police believe a Toyota vehicle that burst into flames after crashing on the highway in the wee hours of Saturday may have been used as a getaway car after thieves targeted the establishment. They reportedly stole $1.5 million in cash, alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, phone cards valued at $2.5 million, a cash register, and other valuables.

Sources said a highway patrol team tried to stop the vehicle in the eastbound lane of the Williamsfield Highway, but the driver disobeyed, lost control, and crashed. Both occupants were burnt beyond recognition.

In Kingston, Minister without Portfolio Dr. Andrew Wheatley has gone to the Supreme Court seeking leave to apply for a judicial review of the Integrity Commission’s decision that he face multiple charges, including illicit enrichment.

He is also seeking a declaration that no charges should be laid until the judicial review is heard and determined. Wheatley is the second cabinet member to challenge an IC ruling in court; Prime Minister Andrew Holness is already before the court over the commission’s report on his statutory declarations.

On Friday, lawyers for Wheatley, who has responsibility for science, technology, and special projects in the Office of the Prime Minister, applied for judicial review and administrative orders, including certiorari to quash the report of IC Director of Investigation Kevin Stevenson, named as first respondent, along with his comments, findings, observations, conclusions, and recommendations.

They also seek to quash Stevenson’s recommendation that the report be referred to Acting Director of Corruption Prosecution Kelly-Ann Murdoch, the second respondent, and Murdoch’s ruling that Wheatley should answer to four charges. Further orders are sought against referral to the Commissioner General of Tax Administration Jamaica and to prohibit prosecution based on the report.

In a report recently tabled in Parliament, the IC ruled Wheatley should be charged with knowingly making a false statement in a statutory declaration under the Parliament Act 1973 and the Integrity Commission Act 2017, failing without reasonable cause to provide information, and illicit enrichment under the Corruption Prevention Act 2011.

His lawyers argue Stevenson’s investigation and report were unfair, breached natural justice, and were ultra vires, including retrospective treatment of conduct predating the Integrity Commission Act’s operation on February 22, 2018. They also challenge findings that Wheatley possessed about $164 million in assets disproportionate to lawful earnings over a 10-year review of declarations from 2000 to 2022.