Forensic auditor finally appointed to D.F.C. inquiry

His appointment has come extremely late in the game but the Commission of Inquiry into the activities of the Development Finance Corporation finally has a forensic auditor. According to a government release, accountant Mark Hulse has been formally engaged to investigate D.F.C. transactions from 1999 through 2004 as they relate to the Commission’s work. News Five has not been able to find a suitable explanation for the delay in the appointment, but David Price, while he was chairman of the Commission, expressed frustration on several occasions with the slow pace of the selection. The problem now is that Hulse’s work–designed to identify any malfeasance or criminal wrongdoing that may have occurred–is crucial to the questioning of the star witness slated to testify in public hearings over the next two weeks. Common sense would dictate extending the Inquiry into the new year … but the appointment of co-chair Herbert Lord as a Supreme Court Justice creates some complications, as he is due to assume his duties on the bench by mid January. Meanwhile, public hearings are due to resume on Tuesday and Thursday of next week. Witnesses are expected to include several prominent D.F.C. clients.