Deputy Commander and ASP charged over food money

Weeks after a former Assistant Commissioner of Police and three other ranks were charged and released on bail in relation to a $19 million fraud at the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Finance Department, a Deputy Commander and a Superintendent of Police were on Monday slapped with similar charges.

Charged are Deputy Commander Loraine Saul and Assistant Superintendent Kurt Smith. Smith appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. It is being alleged that they defrauded the GPF of close to $2 million.

The first charge stated that between December 18, 2020, and December 28, 2020, at Georgetown, they conspired with each other and other persons while being officers of GPF to falsify a payment in the sum $1,350,000 to show that meals were supplied to ranks of the Riot Unit training during December 1, 2020, and December 15, 2020.

It was further alleged that between December 18, 2020, and December 28, 2020, at Georgetown, they conspired with each other and other persons while being officers of the GDF to falsify a payment account in the sum of $465,000 to show that meals were supplied to ranks of Riot Unit training during December 1, 2020, and December 15, 2020.

ASP Smith was not required to plead to the indictable charges. He was was ordered to post bail in the sum of $100,000. Smith is expected to make another court appearance on May 14, 2021.

Only last month, four ranks who are fingered in a multimillion-dollar fraud committed at the Police finance department were charged.

Those charged are Sergeant Jermaine Fraser of 4116 Phase One West Minister, West Coast Demerara; Corporal Rawle Haynes of Lot 2 Hydronie, East Bank Essequibo; Sergeant Michael Corbin, of 315, First Avenue, Parfaite Harmony, West Bank Demerara and retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Kevin Adonis of 95 Stewartville, West Bank Demerara.

The first charge stated that Fraser, Haynes, Corbin, and Adonis between March 26, 2019, and March 29, 2019, at Georgetown, conspired together with each other and persons unknown, while being public officers, employed by the GPF and stole $19,030,767.

It was further alleged that Corbin on March 26, 2019, at Guyana Police Force, Finance Office, Eve Leary, Kingston, Georgetown, input a payment voucher entry in the sum of $19,030,767, resulting in inauthentic data, with the intent that it be considered or acted upon by the Ministry of Finance Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) staff as if it was authentic, regardless of whether or not the said data was directly readable or intelligible.

The last charge stated that Haynes on March 29, 2019, at Georgetown, while being a public officer, employed by the GPF, stole $19,030,767, monies belonging to the Guyana Police Force, his employer.

They were not required to plead to the indictable charges. They were all released on bail.

According to information, the missing monies were allotted to officers for extra duties performed. However, while such documents were signed to say that the funds were allocated to the ranks for their extra duties, the monies never reached into the hands of the ranks.

Last year, Sergeants Corbin and Fraser were charged with stealing $11.3 million from the GPF Finance Department in one day.

The charge stated that on April 4, 2019, at Eve Leary, Georgetown, while being employed as a clerk or servant at the GPF Finance Office, with intent to defraud, they wilfully made false entries into the accounts of their employer.

The charge further stated that they falsely entered the sum of $11,385,000 into the Integration and Finance Management System without the existence of payment vouchers.

They were each released on $250,000 bail on this charge.