The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

AS the criminal trial of Adrian Gibson and several co-defendants continued yesterday, a senior employee at the Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) acknowledged that she was not a certified internal auditor when she prepared a key audit report central to the case.

Dian Saunders-Adderley, WSC’s assistant general manager, made the admission during cross-examination by defence attorney Damian Gomez, KC. Mr Gomez focused on her professional qualifications and affiliation with the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), an internationally recognised authority in the auditing field.

Mrs Saunders-Adderley confirmed that she was aware of the IIA’s regulatory standards and acknowledged that failing to comply with them could result in penalties, including suspension or resignation.

She had previously conducted audits of vendors contracted by WSC during the Minnis administration and had testified to uncovering several potential conflicts of interest in contracts issued by the corporation.

During the cross-examination, Mr Gomez questioned whether she had been truthful in saying she was a certified internal auditor. Mrs Saunders-Adderley clarified that although she currently holds a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) designation, she did not obtain certification until after March 2024, well after the audit report in question had been completed.

She also noted that while she had been a member of the IIA since 2022, her membership did not include certification at the time.

Mr Gomez also probed her professional experience, particularly in the field of forensic auditing. Mrs Saunders-Adderley cited a forensic audit she conducted on a reverse osmosis plant in 2013 as part of her experience.

She described herself as a subject matter expert in internal financial control and corporate governance, citing her years of knowledge and practice in those areas. However, when asked if she had ever conducted an audit of similar political sensitivity or risk, the presiding judge interjected, taking issue with the term “political audit.”

Mrs Saunders-Adderley said she had not consulted any senior officials or external experts while conducting the audit, explaining that such collaboration was not standard protocol.

Adrian Gibson, a former executive chairman of WSC, has been on trial since November 2023, along with Elwood Donaldson Jr, former general manager Joan Knowles, Peaches Farquharson, and Jerome Missick. The charges involve contracts awarded during Gibson’s tenure.

The defence team includes Damian Gomez KC, Murrio Ducille KC, Geoffrey Farquharson, Raphael Moxey, Ian Cargill, Bryan Bastian, and Ryan Eve. Representing the Crown are Director of Public Prosecutions Cordell Frazier, Cashena Thompson, Karine MacVean, and Rashied Edgecombe.