Integrity Commission urges charges against Wheatley as Jamaica-US deportee deal draws scrutiny

A report from the Integrity Commission recommending criminal proceedings against Minister without Portfolio Dr. Andrew Wheatley was laid in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, sharpening a political and legal standoff at the highest levels of government.

Director of Investigation Kevin Stevenson completed the report on 20 March. It alleges reasonable grounds to believe offences under the Integrity Commission Act were committed and recommends four charges: illicit enrichment; two counts of knowingly making false statements in statutory declarations for 2013–2017 and 2018–2022; and failing to provide information to the director of information and complaints.

Dr. Wheatley, who holds responsibility for science, technology and special projects in the Office of the Prime Minister and represents St. Catherine South Central, rejected the findings. Given brief latitude by Speaker Juliet Holness, he told the House he would defend his reputation and that his legal team would show he is innocent and that the conclusions are inaccurate.

The commission examined his statutory declarations from 2010 to 2022 using a source-and-application-of-funds analysis. It found total known spending of roughly $351.5 million against lawful income of about $187.3 million, leaving a gap of approximately $164.25 million that the report says cannot be explained by lawful earnings.

Among specific findings, the report cites five Bank of Nova Scotia commercial loans totalling about $53 million that were not declared when taken in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2021; undeclared sales from a subdivided St. Andrew property at East Kirkland Heights, Sterling Castle; an undisclosed directorship and shareholding in Prosperity Realtors Company Limited from 2018; questions about the claimed $13 million sale of Western Medical in 2013; and missed deadlines to supply information for 2018 and 2019 declarations.

Senior attorney Abe Dabdoo, representing Dr. Wheatley, said the commission wrongly excluded rental income that would account for the disputed figure and that leases were provided. He wrote to the Integrity Commission chair and the director of corruption prosecution on Thursday, arguing prosecutors must follow established procedures. He declined to say whether a judicial review or other challenge would follow, and said he saw no reason for his client to resign.

The commission investigates and refers matters; it does not determine criminal guilt. Courts would decide any liability.

In a separate development, Jamaica is negotiating or has agreed a memorandum of understanding with the United States Department of Homeland Security to accept third-country nationals removed from the US — people who are not Jamaican citizens — reportedly up to 25 every two weeks. National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang has confirmed talks are under way, but the government says the MOU will not be tabled in Parliament.

Reporting traced the initiative to outreach by Minister Audrey Marks, who serves as Minister of Efficiency, Innovation and Digital Transformation and represents Manchester North Eastern. A US federal court struck down similar third-country deportation policy in February, though it remains in force pending appeal.

Political analyst Dr. Naen Spence told CVM that the public learned of the arrangement through media rather than direct government disclosure. She said Parliament should scrutinise the deal, and that Jamaicans deserve clarity on what the country gains, what obligations it assumes, and whether the March outreach came from Kingston or Washington.