Joey bailed without charge

(CNS): The managing director of the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) has been released from custody and bailed by police to return at a later date as enquiries into the allegations against him continue. Joey Ebanks (49) was arrested at his home in Pedro, Bodden Town on Wednesday morning at around 7am on various offences relating to financial irregularities at the ERA which were uncovered during the authority’s annual financial audit by staff from the auditor general’s office. The police searched Ebanks' home and a drug utensil issue was added to the arrest list. On Thursday afternoon an RCIPS spokesperson confirmed that a 49-year-old man had been released and bailed until April.

Ebanks, who was suspended from his job at the ERA last weekend, is suspected of abuse of office, theft, and possession of a drug utensil. Since his suspension, Ebanks has been using his Facebook page to protest his innocence and hit out at those he believes are conspiring against him.

He claimed to have been told that his suspension related to him paying for a flight to Jamaica from ERA Funds. The flight, he said, was so he could speak on the former premier’s behalf at a university ceremony in which McKeeva Bushwas given an honorary doctorate, ironically days after Bush’s own arrest for suspicion of theft and corruption offences.

All eyes will be on Ebanks’ Facebook page in the coming days to see if he will continue to fight his battle in the virtual arena of the social media site.