By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

TWO employees of the Ministry of Education were arraigned in a Magistrate's Court yesterday for allegedly defrauding the ministry of nearly $7,000 in salaries over a five-month span about two years ago.

Paulette Wilson, 59, of Coral Harbour and Andrew Bridgewater, 60, of Glendale Subdivision, both stood before Magistrate Samuel McKinney facing charges of conspiracy to falsify accounts, conspiracy to commit fraud by false pretences and fraud by false pretences.

It is alleged that the two, between October 15, 2015 and March 18, 2016, with intent to defraud, obtained $6,657.12 in salaries by means of false pretences.

Wilson, a chief clerk at the Ministry of Education, was also separately charged with one count of falsification of accounts. It is alleged that she altered Bridgewater's overtime records, which she was required to maintain, to show that between October 9, 2015 and March 18, 2016 he was entitled to $6,657.12 in overtime pay.

Wilson pleaded not guilty to all four charges. Bridgewater pleaded guilty to two of the charges.

Magistrate McKinney adjourned the matter to August 10 at 10am, at which time the prosecution will proceed by way of voluntary bill of indictment (VBI) or preliminary inquiry.

Both Wilson and Bridgewater were remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS) until that time.