–as ‘meals scandal’ widens

THREE senior police officers were, on Thursday, charged by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), as part of a massive investigation into an alleged $300 million fraud commitment at the Police Finance Office.
The officers are former Police Finance Officer, Senior Superintendent (ag) Marcelene Washington; former Deputy Finance Officer, Assistant Superintendent Roxanne Griffith-Adams, and former Deputy Commander of Division 4B, Superintendent Lorraine Saul. They were charged collectively with two counts of conspiracy to commit a felony.
Additionally, Saul was charged separately with falsification of an account by an officer. This is the fourth time in two weeks Saul is being slapped with fraud charges stemming from the investigation, while it is the second time for Washington.

The matters were called before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Thursday. Washington and Saul did not appear to answer to the charges, as they are currently not within the jurisdiction. The matters were adjourned to May 14, 2021, in anticipation of their return.
Griffith-Adams appeared in person before the Chief Magistrate, who read the indictable charge of conspiracy to commit a felony, contrary to Section 34 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act. She was not required to plead, and was granted bail in the sum of $150,000. She is expected to return to court on May 14, 2021.
The particulars of the charge allege that Washington, Griffith-Adams and Saul, with intent to defraud, conspired with each other and other persons while being officers employed by the GPF, to falsify a feeding account in the sum of $1,152,000 for meals, purportedly provided by the Tactical Service Unit Mess to officers and inspectors who performed fixed-point duties at the unit between October 16, 2020 and October 31, 2020.

Investigations by SOCU revealed that Saul, who was, at the time, the officer in charge at the Felix Austin Police College (FAPC) Mess, caused a feeding account to be prepared on November 2, 2020. The account was processed at the Police Finance Office and payments were disbursed; however, no such duty existed and no such meals were distributed.
On Wednesday last, Washington, Saul and Deputy Superintendent, Frank Jackman-Wilburg, were all charged collectively with two counts of conspiracy to commit a felony, while Saul was also charged separately with two counts of falsification of an account by an officer.
Jackman-Wilburg appeared in person before the Chief Magistrate, who read the indictable charges of conspiracy to commit a felony, contrary to Section 34 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act and was granted bail in the sum of $300,000.

In those matters, it is alleged that the officers conspired to falsify two feeding accounts, for meals purportedly provided by the FAPC Mess to ranks who performed fixed-point duty at the Suicide Helpline and at the Mounted Branch between the period October 16, 2020 and October 31, 2020, in the sum of $3,686,400. SOCU investigations, however, revealed no such feeding occurred. Saul and Assistant Superintendent of Police, Kurt Smith, were charged jointly on April 15 with two counts of conspiracy to commit a felony, contrary to Section 34 of the Criminal Law Offences Act, while Saul was also charged separately with two counts of falsification of accounts, contrary to Section 208 (b) of the Criminal Law Offences Act.
Smith had appeared before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where he was not required to plead to the charges as they were indictable, and was placed on $100,000 bail, while the court was informed that Saul is currently not in the country.
Smith and Saul were also charged jointly on April 12 with two counts each of conspiracy of commit and felony, while Saul was charged separately with two counts of falsification of accounts. Smith had appeared before the Chief Magistrate and was placed on $100,000 bail on that occasion as well.