Integrity Commission distances itself from Kim Brown-Lawrence’s claim Loop Jamaica

Black Immigrant Daily News

The Integrity Commission has refuted reports that it has cleared Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Councillor for the Brown’s Town Division in St Ann, Kim Brown-Lawrence, of alleged wrongdoing relative to a fraud and corruption case involving the Ministry of Education and the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU).

Brown-Lawrence made a declaration on Thursday at the monthly meeting of the St Ann Municipal Corporation, that she had been cleared by the commission.

“I was also under investigation by the Integrity Commission and I was cleared yesterday (Wednesday) by the Integrity Commission,” she told the meeting.

She did not elaborate further, and when reportedly pressed by reporters for answers after the meeting, she said she had been advised by her attorneys not to speak to the media on the matter.

But on Thursday afternoon, the Integrity Commission, via its official Twitter page, responded to the reports.

“There appears to be a news report that is circulating which claims that a named parish councillor has been cleared of fraud and corruption charges by the ‘Integrity Commission’.

“The Integrity Commission of Jamaica is not the Integrity Commission that is named in the report,” the tweet said.

Brown-Lawrence headed to her Facebook page late on Thursday, and commented further on a call she said she received that led to her utterances at the municipal corporation meeting.

“LET IT BE KNOWN THAT WHEN THE 5 NEWS media personnel surrounded me TODAY, I gave NO interview. I humbly declined,” she wrote.

“Yes, (the) Integrity Commission had me under investigation, and yes, I received a phone call stating nothing was found more than the ordinary,” Brown-Lawrence further stated.

“I still havnt (haven’t) received any documents, only word of mouth. I still have court before me. It has been going on for 3 stressful years. MORE INFO COMING SOON.

“THE BEST PLACE TO GET THE TRUTH IS FROM MEEEEE. THE NEWS ONLY SPREAD LIES TO GET A STORY. WHEN I AM READY TO TALK…,” Brown-Lawrence wrote on Facebook.

She made other comments regarding media personnel and other entities.

Brown-Lawrence is charged along with former Education Minister, Ruel Reid, and former Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) President, Professor Fritz Pinnock, and Reid’s wife, Sharen, and daughter, Sharelle.

The five accused persons were charged in October 2019 on allegations that millions of dollars were defrauded from both the Ministry of Education and the CMU.

Reid and Pinnock are facing the bulk of the charges. They are charged with breaches of the Corruption Prevention Act, conspiracy to defraud, misconduct in a public office at common law, and beaches of the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Sharen Reid and her daughter, as well as Brown-Lawrence, are all charged with possession of criminal property and conspiracy to defraud.

The case was reportedly scheduled to be called up in court on Friday, July 15.

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