Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jan 10, 2018 News
– Hundreds of investigations; up to $300 billion in transactions
British crime expert, Dr. Sam Sittlington, is back to help the police’s Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU). The advisor’s face was prominent in a number of high-profile investigations last year, including the Pradoville Two matter involving ex-government officials. His stint ended last year but the administration asked for his return.
However, his return was dependent on the contract being advertised, and evaluated – a process that was above board, British High Commissioner, Greg Quinn, insisted yesterday.
Sittlington will be here until March 2020, in six-week and 24-week deployments.
Sittlington’s departure last year was mired in controversy, with the Opposition claiming that he was seen celebrating in a city night spot with Government officials and investigators, after the arrests of Opposition officials, including former President Bharrat Jagdeo.
During a briefing yesterday at the Bel Air residence of the British High Commissioner, it was disclosed that the advisor, who is described as a financial crime expert from Northern Ireland and with 20 years experience in investigating financial crimes in the US and Europe, will be providing advice on ongoing probes and will take no direct role in investigations.
Sittlington’s return will come as SOCU is bogged down with almost 300 investigations, stemming from Government-ordered forensic audits.
Several persons have been charged, with a number of files completed, and some with the Police Legal Advisor (PLA), Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh and the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Some of the files were sent back to the SOCU for further investigations.
SOCU had expressed frustration over the sloth of return of the files.
The administration had hired five special prosecutors to assist the process, but that process has not been going too well. Up to 17 staffers have been hired. It will be Sittlington’s task to train them.
In addition to helping to speed up the processing of the cases, the advisor will be meeting with the DPP and the PLA as well as magistrates and other representatives of the judicial system to help build capacity.
The official, who is being paid by the British government, disclosed that SOCU has over 300 cases, stemming from 26 forensic audits. Four of the cases alone involved transactions totaling $116B. Another 22 audits involved sums of up to $170B.
It does not get easier for SOCU. From the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), a body that deals with suspicious transactions, there are 39 such cases, with only two in court.
There has to be significant emphasis on the role of SOCU and its successes, Sittlington insisted.
He made it clear that the cases must be seen through to the end – in the interest of fairness for all involved, including investigators. He stressed that those under investigation have the right to a speedy process.
Dr. Sittlington was also critical of the sloth in the court system, acknowledging that magistrates are forced to take every bit of evidence by hand.
Among some of the changes he would like to see for SOCU is the hiring of an in-house lawyer. The entity already has an auditor and forensic accountant.
Questioned about criticisms, Dr. Sittlington said that he is relying on the public to see his work – he is unfazed by the scrutiny, and the Guyana situation is not new to him
Meanwhile, the official was also questioned about the recent high-profile case between SOCU and the Guyana Bank For Trade and Industry (GBTI).
Last year, SOCU requested bank details for the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) relating to a billion-dollar rice-for-oil deal that happened over the previous two administrations.
The matter ended up in court with SOCU professing frustration.
Late last year, eight directors of the bank, including the Chairman, were charged in the court for contempt over those records. It was uncharted waters for both SOCU and the bank and by extension, Guyana. The matter is still ongoing.
Yesterday, Dr. Sittlington said that he is familiar with the matter.
He believes that there should have been common sense and there are reporting obligations.
There is a problem for Guyana – a serious one at that. The world is watching and it is being reported on. Authorities like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) can deem Guyana as a non-cooperating territory in the financial sphere. This has huge significance and implications.
Sittlington insisted that all Guyana must understand that the fight against money laundering is a collaborative one that has international importance.
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