The year-old investigation into a fraud allegation at the Pembina Hills school division headquarters is still underway and is not complete as was previously reported, Barrhead RCMP Sgt. Bob Dodds said last week.
The revelation comes as a surprise following a story that ran in the Aug. 15 Westlock News, in which Dodds said that the Commercial Crimes Unit had forwarded a report and that the matter was now in the Crown prosecutor’s hands and the prosecutor would determine if charges would be laid.
Jeff Morrison, the Chief Crown Prosecutor in this jurisdiction, confirmed his office had not received a report as of last Friday.
“I can tell you the matter has not been sent to us for review,” he said. “The matter currently lies for … further investigation with Commercial Crimes, with “K” Division.”
Morrison also said the decision to lay charges rests with the RCMP, although the Crown prosecutor’s office can provide advice to police agencies upon request.
“The decision to lay charges or not lay charges rests solely with the RCMP,” he said.
Dodds did not say last week how he came to be under the impression that a report was sent to Morrison’s office in August.
“I don’t recall the specifics of our conversation in August,” he said in an e-mail, “if I stated that a report had been forwarded I was mis-informed (sic).”
In fact the investigation, which began Nov. 5, 2010 is still active. Dodds said since that is the case he cannot comment further on it.
Barrhead RCMP initiated the investigation, which relates to an expense account, into an unnamed employee of the division.
The story of a problem at the division’s head office came to light in October 2010 when the Westlock News learned former Supt. Richard Harvey had left his post with the division Oct. 25, two months earlier than his scheduled retirement date.
Division officials issued a one-line media release stating that as of Oct. 25, Harvey was no longer an employee of the division. Division officials declined to elaborate further.
Deputy Supt. Colleen Symyrozum-Watt would not comment on the fraud investigation except to say that about 750 Pembina Hills employees have expense accounts.
Dodds has said previously that as is the case with any active investigation, names would be released only if and when charges are laid.
