By The Canadian Press

REGINA - Five SaskTel employees have been fired as the Crown corporation probes the loss of thousands of dollars.

The most recent quarterly reports on losses of public money say that an estimated $85,000 was lost at SaskTel over the last two years.

The employees were suspended in September because of an alleged conflict of interest.

The loss report states that in a separate incident an employee at DirectWest, a SaskTel subsidiary, allegedly forged cheques payable to himself for an estimated $20,500.

That employee has also been fired.

SaskTel says both incidents have been turned over to the police for investigation.