THE paper committal inquiry against former Finance Minister Winston Jordan, who is accused of misconduct in public office, is expected to commence today.
Senior Magistrate, Leron Daly, who sits at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, will preside over the inquiry.

At the last court hearing, Jordan’s attorneys had chosen a paper committal inquiry rather than a full-blown trial. One of Jordan’s lawyers, Dawn Cush, had asked for the matter to remain indictable and proceed through a paper committal.

Jordan appeared in court for the first time in December 2021 and was released on $3 million bail. He was not required to plead to the charge since it was an indictable offence.

It was alleged that, while serving as Finance Minister under the APNU+AFC coalition government, Jordan committed willful misconduct by acting recklessly when he signed the NICIL (Transfer of Property) Order, No. 50 of 2020. NICIL, the government’s holding company, fell under Jordan’s ministerial portfolio.

The substantive matter relates to Jordan transferring and vesting to BK Marine Inc. all buildings, erections, stellings, platforms, and further appurtenances at Mud Lots One and Two, F of Mud Lot Three, A, B & D, amounting to more than 2.553 acres.

In that transaction, it was reported that $20,260,276 was paid for a property initially valued at over $5,000,000,000. The selling price was reportedly grossly below the actual value of the assets sold.

The former Finance Minister is also being represented by fellow APNU coalition party members, attorneys-at-law Roysdale Forde S.C., Khemraj Ramjattan, Joseph Harmon, and Darren Wade.