PEOPLE’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) presidential candidate Irfaan Ali’s bid to quash the 19 criminal charges against him commenced in the High Court on Tuesday.
The matter was called in the chambers of Justice Franklin Holder, where counsel representing Ali, the director of public prosecutions (DPP) and the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), presented arguments.

Ali in his application contends that the charges are vague and constitute an abuse of process; as such, he is seeking from the High Court several orders. An order of Certiorari quashing the decision of the DPP to charge him with the offence of conspiracy to defraud contrary to common law on the basis that it was irrational, biased, and influenced by improper considerations and motives; an order of Certiorari quashing the information on oath of Munilall Persaud, Corporal of Police of the SOCU, on the 19 charges.

Ali is also asking for an order of prohibition restraining the chief magistrate, Ann McLennan, or any other magistrate from hearing or attempting to hear the charges as filed by the corporal; and a declaration that the particulars of the charges do not constitute an offence known to law and one that there is no statutory or common-law duty to obtain a valuation prior to the sale of property.

The charges stem from the sale of lands at the “Pradoville 2” scheme, Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara, where he (Ali) is accused of defrauding the state of over $174M after selling the lands at extremely undervalued prices.
The reports said that the lands were sold to former President Bharrat Jagdeo; former Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon; and former ministers Priya Manickchand, Dr. Jennifer Westford, Robert Persaud and Clement Rohee; Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack, and former army head Gary Best and Fortune Developers Inc., Guyana.

He also sold lands at the locations to former General Manager of the Guyana Gold Board and daughter of former President Donald Ramotar, Lisa Ramotar; former President of the Private Sector Commission, Ramesh Dookhoo; the son of former Labour Minister Dr Nanda Gopaul, Dr Ghansham Singh; former Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Chief Executive Officer, Rajendra Singh; former president of the Caribbean Development Bank, Compton Bourne; Andrew Bishop, former Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission; former Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) Shaik Baksh, Safraaz Khan and George Hallaq.

The argument of the presidential candidate however, is that selling a plot of land without seeking valuation from a valuation officer is not against the law. The matter continues before Justice Holder on March 19th 2019, allowing ample time for the parties to make necessary submissions.