BECHE-DE-MER CASE IS WITH C.I.D: FISHERIES MINISTER

The case of the stolen beche-de-mer consignment has been returned to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to establish some more information needed to further progress the case.

The consignment was stolen from the Ministry’s compound in October last year, by some men believed to be sent by certain Members of Parliament.

In May this year, Fisheries Minister Alfred Ghiro told Parliament the total value of the stolen beche-de-mer was just under SBD$10-million.

He had also told Parliament then, efforts to prosecute the thieves is on-going.

In Parliament this morning, the Fisheries Minister said the Police Minister, Chris Laore was at a bilateral meeting and gave the progress report to him via text message.

“The Minister for Police though not attending Parliament but has texted me the progress of the case at his Ministry, I think he is attending a bilateral meeting, and he has confirmed that the office of the Commissioner of Police has received the file and has passed it to the CID after looking through, so that they can establish required information concerning the case.”

The Fisheries Minister also told Parliament the Commissioner of Police has assured the Police Minister the case will progress further as soon as she receives the case from the CID.

“So that’s the progress so far. The case is again with the CID so that they could establish more information before returning it to him and so he has assured me that as long as he received it then he would be able to pursue the case further.”