By NICO SCAVELLA
Tribune Staff Reporter
nscavella@tribunemedia.net
A FORMER Ministry of Finance employee accused of defrauding the ministry of over half a million dollars has been granted bail by a Supreme Court judge ahead of his November trial.
James Anwar Johnson, 27, of St Andrew's Beach Estates, was granted $30,000 bail with two sureties on Friday by Justice Greg Hilton, and must also report to the Elizabeth Estates police station every Monday and Friday.
The Tribune also understands Johnson, a former accounts clerk at the Ministry of Finance, has been terminated in view of the allegations.
It is alleged that Johnson, while serving as an accounts clerk at the ministry, falsified the payment records of VMMS Business Service from December 15, 2016 to April 5, 2017, purporting to show that VMMS Business Service was entitled to receive payments totaling $530,377.67.
Johnson was also charged with ten counts of stealing by reason of employment. He is accused of being concerned with others and stealing a total of $445,996.42 in cash from the ministry between December 21, 2016, and March 31, 2017, which he had access to by virtue of his employment.
Johnson also faced one count of attempted stealing by reason of employment for allegedly attempting to steal $41,115 from the ministry on April 5, 2017.
Johnson pleaded not guilty to all of the charges on Friday.
The matter was adjourned to November 17 at 11am.
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