October 9 a special welcome if you're watching on one spot media.com there has

been a major development in the corruption probe involving former

education minister well-read and the government entities which fell under his

portfolio mr. Reid the president of the cabin maritime University professor

Fritz pinnock and counselor for the brownstone division in st. Anne Kim

Brown Lawrence were this morning detained by the police following raids

at their houses TV jeiza Shane masters reports the major organized crime and

anti-corruption agency mocha says for simultaneous operations were carried out

targeting the main suspects implicated in multimillion-dollar corruption and

foreign schemes perpetrated at the Ministry of Education CMU and other

government entities the operations which got underway at 5 o'clock this morning

took place in st. Andrews and Catherine Anderson tan the house of former member

of parliament and CMU employee of nee Lawrence was also searched he has not

been detained the raids also involved the financial investigation division fi

Dee and the Constabulary financial unit of the counterterrorism and organized

crime division C top information reaching TVJ news is that former

education minister rural Reid and two members of his family are likely to be

taken into custody later today in the Caribbean maritime university CMU

education ministry corruption probe mr. Reid resigned on March 20 amid the

corruption allegations and yesterday pinnock was sent on special leaf with me

that effect pending the outcome of the probe Moka said the investigations

involved allegations of corruption fraud and misappropriation of public funds

involving the ministry of education and at the CMU in a statement released

earlier this morning mocha did not name those arrested

however it reported that a number of persons were arrested and taken into

custody for further questioning this morning the Director of Public

Prosecutions DPP Paul aluminum said since her last

consultation with law enforcement authorities three months ago there has

been no further contact the Lord let me make it quite clear please the DPP the

VP's office and I had a team of four lawyers we prepared a 13-page opinion

which we said has been submitted has made no recommendation so the FIB and

the police authority in July Lauren found that for criminal laws may have

been breached by key players in the Royal we to CMU corruption case in

addition to the breaches of the four criminal laws the DPP said they were

possible to common law offenses and possible administrative breaches she

also recommended further investigations but said the decision whether to arrest

and charge any of the accused and placed them before the court rested with the

police and other investigative the body's machine masters TVJ news and for

more details on the raids carried out this morning here Stevie J Kirk right

before daybreak mocha operatives souped down on

professor Phoenix hellshire home in st. Catherine the

police took several items from his home some of which appeared to be cellular

phones and other electronic gadgets the police were observed recording aspects

of their operation on several occasions professor pinic was seen moving in and

out his house during one of the exchanges outside the house the police

had him sign a document but minutes before he was taken away

in an unmarked vehicle the professor was seen kissing relatives goodbye in

Kingston at MOCA headquarters at the NC B towers he was escorted into the

building surrounded by police but without handles Kirk right TV genius

in the meantime information Minister Khar Samudra gave the government's

initial reactor reaction to this morning's operation by the police what

they have done is as a consequence of what they have investigated and their

findings and it is part of what makes us an established and recognized country

governed by the rule of law and that applies to everyone no matter what

position you hold so basically I know nothing beyond what I have been advised

I find it regrettable I find it unfortunate because it hits at the heart

of what we are all striving to achieve and that is a stable and responsible

country that adheres to all the tenants of good governance among which at the

pinnacle is the rule of law so beyond that and not much more I can I can

advise you on we await further updates from the security forces and they are

free and they are authorized to take whatever measures in their view are

appropriate to handling this situation and it's time for a break here on the

midday news but stay with us more stories right after these messages