Kern Spencer Charged

Former Junior Minister in the Ministry of Energy, Kern Spencer is now in police custody charged with fraud.

He was charged late Tuesday afternoon in connection with the Cuban Light Bulb scandal.

Mr. Spencer, businessman Rodney Chin and Coleen Wright, a former personal assistant to Mr. Spencer were charged by personnel from the Organised Crime Unit.

The charges follow weeks of investigation into the Cuban Light Bulb scandal.

Defence attorney Deborah Martin told the RJR News Centre that she is now making arrangements to have her client before the court by Wednesday.

She said Mr. Spencer would be kept in custody Tuesday night.

The Member of Parliament for North East St Elizabeth has been under investigation following alleged irregularities under the programme to distribute four million free Cuban light bulbs.

The programme racked up an expenditure of more than $270 million.

Mr. Chin and one of his companies, Universal Management Development Company Limited has been implicated in the light bulb controversy.

Universal Management was the driving force behind the distribution of the energy-saving light bulbs.