AG will get sheriff's office financial documents 'in the near future,' officials say

Newfoundland and Labrador's Department of Justice is citing staff changeover and outdated accounting processes for creating a backlog in getting financial statements at the Office of the High Sheriff finished in time for auditing.

Officials say those statements are near completion, and will be provided to the auditor general "in the near future."

The department issued a statement in response to comments made by Auditor General Denise Hanrahan this week.

Hanrahan said her staff hasn't been able to audit the financial statements of the Office of the High Sheriff for four fiscal years, from 2018 through 2021. She said the required documents haven't been made availableto do that work.

The Office of the High Sheriff holds funds in trust, to be distributed in accordance with court orders.

Hanrahan noted that a lot of transactions occur with the judgment enforcement registry, and there is a "risk of undetected errors."

The Justice Department says work is ongoing to provide the required documents to the auditor general and comptroller general.

Justice officials say that, based on the information available, the trust fund is being used appropriately.

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