GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (CMC) – The largest ever corruption trial in this British Overseas Territory, ended on Thursday with the jury delivering three guilty verdicts.

The case of fraud, breach of trust and bribery involved a network of corruption among several individuals, most of whom were government officers who held senior roles within the then Immigration Department – now Customs and Border Control.

It’s reported that between August 2015 and June 2016, the defendants allegedly played varying roles in providing people with fraudulent passing grades to an Immigration Department English language test.

The exam was a mandatory requirement for people whose primary language was not English.

The initial indictment listed 32 charges brought against the defendants – including conspiracy to commit breach of trust, conspiracy to commit fraud on the Government, and failing to report the solicitation of an advantage or reward.

That indictment was later reduced to six counts, which alleged the same wrongdoing, apart from the breach of trust charge. Initially, all the defendants except one, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The matter first came to light in June 2016 when senior immigration officers became suspicious of how the English language tests were being conducted.

An investigation was launched, following which the matter was transferred to the Anti-Corruption Commission.