ALTHOUGH the contract of former embattled head of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) Sydney James has not expired, he will not be returning to the agency, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan said.

“I think his (James) contract has not expired but he is on administrative leave and somebody else named Althea Padmore has taken on his function. So, he is not going to come back,” the Public Security Minister noted

According to Commissioner of Police, Leslie James the former SOCU head is ill and that has resulted in a delay in investigations into allegations made against him.

“What I can tell you about Mr. James, I understand that he has fallen ill recently and we are following up on that. It is dependent on how soon he recovers from his illness, then we will continue speaking with Mr James. But as you know, there has been a designated Head of SOCU in the person of Ms Althea Padmore and there is a handover that is currently in progress, but Mr. James is currently sick,” the Commissioner noted.
The former SOCU head was sent on administrative leave after a special audit had unearthed several instances of mismanagement of funds and falsification of documents at the entity.

The audit was ordered by the Police Commissioner in February.