A former treasure for the Oliver Elementary School Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) has been charged with fraud over $5,000.

According to a release from the Oliver RCMP, officers have been investigating alleged thefts from the PAC’s funds for roughly 18 months, and recommended the fraud charge against Belinda Yorke to the BC Prosecution Service.

READ MORE: RCMP call alleged theft from South Okanagan food bank “heartless”

“Between June 2016, until her resignation in January 2018, it is being alleged she used her position as treasurer to misappropriate funds from the PAC’s bank account,” states the release. “In January 2018, members of the PAC executive reported the apparent theft of funds to the Oliver RCMP, who in turn began their extensive year-and-a-half long investigation.”

The RCMP forwarded their findings to the BC Prosecution Service, thanks to assistance and cooperation from the PAC and the BC Gaming Policy Enforcement Branch, and the matter is now before the courts.

“These kinds of investigations require extensive hours of investigation, and the Oliver RCMP would like to thank the BC Gaming Policy Enforcement Branch with the assistance they provided,” states the release.

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.