GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Friday April 13, 2018 – Guyana’s Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) has laid charges against two former top officials of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government for “misconduct in public office”, in connection with the sale of three plots of state land.

Former Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh and former Head of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL)/ Privatisation Unit, Winston Brassington are accused of illegally selling three plots of land for over GY$900 million (US$4.3 million).

According to the charges, Dr Singh and Brassington, on May 14, 2011, by way of an agreement of sale and purchase, acted recklessly when they sold Multicinema Guyana Incorporated a 10-acre tract of state land at Turkeyen for GY$185,037,000 (US$893,599) without first having procured a valuation from a competent valuation officer.

They are also accused of selling 103 acres of state land, by an agreement of sale and purchase, to National Hardware Guyana Limited for GY$598,659,398 (US$2.9 million) without first procuring a valuation.

The third and similar charge concerned the sale of 4.7 acres of land for GY$150 million (US$724,400) to Scady Business Corporation, knowing that the said property was valued at GY$340 million (US$1.6 million)

The case has been set for May 7, 2018 to allow the defence lawyers to contact their clients concerning the charges.

They have been given until early next month to make an appearance in connection to the charge.