KINGSTON, Jamaica — Two teachers and a salary clerk employed to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information are to appear in court on May 28 to answer to charges of simple larceny and conspiracy to defraud.

The three, who were charged by Fraud Squad detectives earlier this week, have been identified as: 31-year-old Jermaine Saunders, a salary clerk of St Andrew Park, Kingston 10; 31-year-old Delroy Elliott, a teacher of Cheapside district, Walderston, Manchester; and 35-year-old Ruel Young, also a teacher of Morris Hall district, Rock River, Clarendon.

According to information received from the Fraud Squad, Young and Elliott were overpaid by more than $23 million between June 2017 and August 2018.

It is alleged that Saunders, who is the salary clerk for both teachers, subsequently requested the return of a percentage of the overpaid monies, which was paid to him by way of cash and bank transfer.

He, however, failed to turn over the monies to the ministry, the police said.

It is further reported that upon the request of Fraud Squad investigators, the three men turned themselves in between Tuesday, May 7 and Thursday, May 9, after which they were interviewed and charged.

They were offered bail in the sum of $400,000 and all three are booked to appear in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court.