–over alleged sale of state lands valued at $150M for $2.4M

FORMER Finance Minister Winston Jordan was arraigned on Monday, charged with misconduct in public office over the alleged improper sale of state land.
The charge stems from his signing of a vesting order for the sale of over five acres of land—valued at $150 million—for a significantly reduced price of $2.4 million.

The land, situated at Plantation Goedverwagting and Sparendaam on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), was allegedly sold at a price that was “grossly undervalued to such a degree as to amount to an abuse of public trust,” according to the Special, Organised Crime Unit (SOCU).
The alleged misconduct occurred between February 25, 2020, and June 11, 2020.

Jordan, who served as Finance Minister under the previous A Partnership for National Unity +Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration, appeared before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
He was not required to enter a plea to the indictable charge and was granted bail in the sum of $150,000.

The charge was brought against Jordan by SOCU, an arm of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), which has been investigating alleged financial irregularities during his tenure.
Prosecutors argue that Jordan acted recklessly in signing vesting order #69 of 2020, transferring the property at a fraction of its true value without reasonable cause or justification.

Representing Jordan in court were Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde and attorney-at-law Dawn Cush, who maintained their client’s innocence. They told the court that Jordan did not participate in the contract or determination of the purchase price, which was handled by the ministry.
Applying for reasonable bail, Cush described her client as a man of “good character,” noting that while he had previously faced a similar charge, it was later dismissed. She argued that proceeding with the case would be an “absolute waste” of judicial time. Citing the true value of the land, the SOCU prosecutor requested that the defendant be released on substantial bail.

After considering arguments from both sides, Magistrate Azore granted Jordan bail in the sum of $150,000, allowing him to travel freely without the requirement to report to the police.
The case is part of a wider investigation into the alleged mismanagement of state assets by former government officials.

Jordan is set to return to court on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. In May 2023, Jordan was cleared of a charge alleging that he had misconducted himself in public office by selling state property to BK Marine at a price far below market value.
Prosecutors had claimed that between February 26, 2020, and July 31, 2020, while serving as Minister of Finance and overseeing the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL)—a government-owned entity—Jordan acted recklessly by signing a Transfer of Property Order.
This order transferred and vested in BK Marine over 2.553 acres of land at Mudlots 1 & 2, F of Mudlot 3, A, B & D, located in North Cummingsburg, Georgetown.

The property, valued at more than $5 billion, was allegedly sold for just $20,260,276—an amount prosecutors argued was so significantly undervalued that it constituted an abuse of public trust, lacking reasonable excuse or justification.
After Senior Magistrate Leron Daly had dismissed the charge, Jordan filed a lawsuit against the state in 2024 for malicious prosecution.