St. John's sends city depot probe to RNC

The City of St. John's on Thursday called in the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary to investigate the use of low-value purchase orders by a former manager at the city depot.

In early January, Mayor Dennis O'Keefe confirmed that the city had launched an internal audit into the matter.

The mayor said the probe could determine whether the city official in question benefitted personally.

That official has since retired.

A whistleblower first alerted city officials to possible problems just before Christmas.

Auditors identified close to $100,000 in questionable spending over two years.

The purchase orders in question are valued at under $350 each.

O'Keefe said last week that auditors were going back through a third and fourth year of financial records.

"The investigation is continuing, and at the end of it justice will take its course," O'Keefe told CBC News on Feb. 8.