Two ex-top officials in the former People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government have been charged with “misconduct in public office” by officers of Guyana’s Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU).
Former Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh and former head of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) Winston Brassington were charged in connection with the illegal sale of three plots of state land for a total of GUY$900 million (US$4.3 million).
According to the charges, Dr. Singh and Brassington, on May 14, 2011, by way of an agreement of sale and purchase, acted recklessly when they sold Multicinema Guyana Incorporated 10 acres of state land at Turkeyen for GUY$185,037,000 (US$893, 599) without first having procured a valuation from a competent valuation officer.
They are also accused of selling 103 acres of state land to National Hardware Guyana Limited for GUY$598,659, 398 (US$2.9 million) without first procuring a valuation.
The third and similar charge concerned the sale of 4.7 acres of land for GUY$150 million (US$724,400) to Scady Business Corporation, with the accused allegedly knowing that the property was valued at GUY$340 million (US$1.6 million).
A court date for the case has been set for May 7, 2018 to allow the defense attorneys the opportunity to contact their clients concerning the charges.
