GENERAL Manager of the Guyana Gold Board, Lisaveta Ramotar has denied any wrongdoing one week after being sent on administrative leave to facilitate an investigation into the operations of the Board based on a forensic audit report and a simultaneous police investigation into an alleged money-laundering ring by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU).

Ramotar, who is the daughter of former President Donald Ramotar, in a statement to Head of SOCU, Sydney James, on Wednesday said while she has not been called to an interview by the Unit, she is providing a “voluntary statement.” Her statement was submitted to James in the presence of her attorney, Anil Nandlall.

“On April 20, 2017, I was sent on Administrative Leave to facilitate the investigation as mentioned above. I wish to assert strongly that I am absolutely innocent of any wrong doings. I have discharged my duties at the Guyana Gold Board professionally and based on the important metric of declaration it was under my tenure that the Cooperative Republic of Guyana obtained its highest ever declaration to date,” Ramotar said in her statement.

She said she was officially informed on April 20 that SOCU was conducting an investigation into allegations of money laundering and suspected involvement of staff members of the Gold Board with gold dealer, Saddiqi Rasul.

Rasul, the owner of SSS Minerals Trading Enterprise, was earlier this month charged with six counts of obtaining money by false pretense and released on $3M bail. It is alleged that the gold dealer was involved in a $956M fraud at the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industries (GBTI). The charges alleged that between March 21 and 22, 2017 at Bartica, with intent to defraud, he obtained the sum of $290M, $298M, $138M, $45M, $89M and $96M from the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) by falsely pretending he had cash in his account at Citizens Bank to honour the cheques he en-cashed.

However, in her missive to James, Ramotar who served at the helm of the Guyana Gold Board from January 2, 2015, sought to clear what she believes are misconceptions being publicised in the media. She denied ever giving instructions to Suzanne Bullen, Compliance Officer to incorporate Rasul’s company.

“I wish to strongly deny that I ever gave instructions to Ms. Bullen to incorporate Mr. Rasul’s company. In fact, the first time I learnt of her incorporating the company is on April 20, 2017, when she indicated that she should resign her position at the Guyana Gold Board because she incorporated the company,” said Ramotar.

It was discovered that Bullen was the attorney who was engaged in the formation of Rasul’s company. She was one of three persons, including Ramotar who was sent on administrative leave by the Ministry of Natural Resources to facilitate SOCU’s investigation. The other person is Ramotar’s deputy Andrea Seelochan.