The Financial Investigations Division (FID) in collaboration with law enforcement and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) secured the successful conviction of Lawrence Pommels, a former senior official at National Energy Solutions Limited (NESol), in a landmark case of corruption and financial crime on Monday (May 20).

The investigation, which has been ongoing for several years, unveiled significant breaches of government procurement guidelines and revealed extensive mismanagement of public funds within NESol. The case attracted widespread attention and underscored the critical need for transparency and accountability in public sector management.

Pommels pleaded guilty to two counts of corruption and six counts of possession of criminal property in the St Catherine Parish Court and was sentenced to nine months imprisonment on each count to run concurrently by Judge Deserene Alleyne.

Prior to sentencing, the Assets Recovery Agency filed a notice of request for committal to the St. Catherine Circuit Court. Pommels is scheduled to appear in the St. Catherine Circuit Court on June 20.

Pommels’ guilty plea is a testament to the meticulous work and dedication of the FID, ODPP and the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) Constabulary Financial Unit (CFU), and Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Branch (CTOC).

The team was able to turn intelligence into a comprehensive case file, presenting overwhelming evidence that resulted in this conviction.

The Crown has decided to offer no further evidence against Pommels’ co-accused, Rayon Hamilton, Ricardo Harris, Horace Stewart, and Kimberly Nelson.

Keith Darien, principal director of investigations at the FID, commented on the case, “Lawrence Pommels, who was placed in a senior position, without the requisite qualifications, corruptly helped himself to taxpayers’ money. He, along with others, deprived many rural schools, students, and communities of needed electricity and Internet services by fraudulently causing NeSol to pay out millions of dollars to his associates for work which was never done. These monies were eventually paid over to him.”

Darien assured that the FID and CFU are jointly committed to “aggressively pursue perpetrators of financial crimes, including corrupt officials, whose criminal and selfish activities placed undue burden on government finances, and deprived taxpayers of essential services”.

In 2018, the FID initiated surveillance and financial assessments of Pommels’ activities based on intelligence received about the operations at NESol. The findings from the assessments and surveillance justified search operations at his residence in Old Harbour. This resulted in the seizure of over J$20 million in cash which was hidden in a crib. Further search operations at NESol’s office led to the confiscation of company books, records, and accounts. 

It was discovered that “verbal contracts” worth over J$60 million were issued to associates of Pommels as well as a connected company without following proper procurement processes. These breaches highlighted gross mismanagement and potential corruption within the agency. Subsequent investigations by the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) of Parliament exposed additional issues, including improper appointments and unauthorized outsourcing of projects without written contracts.

The thorough investigations culminated in the arrest and charge of Pommels and his associates for multiple criminal offences, including breaches of the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA). 

Pommels was also charged with bribery, under the Corruption Prevention Act, following a covertly recorded conversation in which he attempted to bribe the director of the CFU.