Paper Committal to be done in misconduct case against Winston Jordan
A Paper Committal (PC) will be done in relation to the one count of misconduct in public office against Winston Jordan who was the Finance Minister under the APNU+AFC Government.
A PC is where the prosecution’s evidence, including statements, is handed to the magistrate who then decides whether there is enough evidence for the case to continue to the High Court.
The PC is likely to commence on May 2 before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Jordan is charged with misconduct in public office over allegedly selling the country’s largest wharf facility valued at GY$5 billion to BK Marine Inc. for a mere GY$20 million.
It is alleged that Jordan, being and performing duties of Minister of Finance and being the concerned Minister for the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), a company owned by the Government, between February 26, 2020, and July 31, 2020, at Main Street, Georgetown, willfully misconducted himself by acting recklessly when he signed NICIL (Transfer of Property) Order No. 50 of 2020, which was published in the Official Gazette, transferring to and vesting to BK Marine Inc., all buildings, erections, stellings, platforms, and further appurtenances, that is to say, Mudlots 1 & 2, F of Mudlot 3, A, B & D, situated at North Cummingsburg, Georgetown, being over 2.553 acres, by paying GY$20,260,276 for the property valued over GY$5B and being sold at a price that was grossly undervalued to such a degree as to amount to an abuse of the public’s trust and without reasonable excuse or justification.
The former minister has not been required to plead to the indictable charge. He is currently out on $3M bail. He is being represented by Attorney-at-Law Dawn Holder-Cush while Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) prosecutor Neville Jeffers is appearing for the State.
Concerning the transaction, it was reported that the purchaser, BK Marines Inc, which is owned by prominent businessman Brian Tiwarie, paid only GY$20 million (US$100,000) and Minister Jordan issued a vesting order passing Title to the purchaser, without the payment of any further sum of monies.
Jordan was arrested and questioned by SOCU—an arm of the Guyana Police Force (GPF)—in relation to a series of alleged fraudulent transactions in which he is implicated, involving public funds and state properties, estimated to value billions of Guyana dollars.
He has maintained that the charge against him is politically motivated.
