Latest update November 27th, 2024 12:07 AM
Pradoville 2 probe…SOCU wants to question ‘Fuzzy’ Sattaur and former housing official
By Brushell Blackman
The Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) is trying to locate Mohamed ‘Fuzzy’ Sattaur, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Communications Network (NCN) and Taslim Baksh, former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the
Former CEO, NCN Mohamed ‘Fuzzy’ Sattaur
Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) for questioning into the Pradoville 2 investigations.
According to a SOCU official, that entity has been trying to make contact with the two men for about three months now. The official said that as far as the police know, the two men have not left the jurisdiction but they cannot be found at their normal addresses.
The official explained that it is important that the two men are questioned to complete the investigations into the Pradoville 2 probe. Baksh is also wanted for questioning into the sale of scrap metal that was done by the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) when they were in government.
In mid-2012, a leaked report into investigations at the state-owned NCN revealed startling details of how Sattaur and another manager attempted to pressure female staffers to backdate a $3.6 million invoice to January to cover up their tracks. But the staffers, from the Marketing Department, refused and later told investigators that they thought it unethical at the time.
The leaked report, while not making it clear, suggested that the attempts were made even while the investigations were ongoing or about to start. The report also suggested that both officials were probably desperate at the time.
Sattaur was at the helm at NCN when the National Investment and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) reportedly paid over $100M to relocate the tower from the controversial Pradoville 2 housing scheme to Dairy Road, La Parafaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara and that charge was then borne by NCN.
Taslim Baksh was a top housing man under the previous administration, reporting to Housing Minister, Irfaan Ali.
He was in charge of overseeing the construction of hundreds of Government-built homes on East Bank Demerara, from Eccles to Providence, including some of the low-cost ones.
Former Chief Financial Officer, CH&PA Taslim Baksh
There have been questions about procurement of materials for those homes.
Baksh was also charged with overseeing the operations of the Scrap Metal Unit, which was tasked with regulating the scrap metal trade.
Upon entering office in May, the David Granger administration announced that it found almost $200M sitting in an account at a private commercial bank, in the name of the Scrap Metal Unit.
After noticing a number of suspicious activities, the account was frozen and the matter handed over by Minister Keith Scott to the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU).
Baksh was blacklisted from leaving Guyana pending the outcome of the investigations.
According to one Government official, Baksh between July and August 2016 had requested leave but was refused by the Ministry of Housing. His four-year contract expires in 2017.
He was written to by CH&PA asking him to explain why he was paying Ministry of Housing staffers from the bank account of the Scrap Metal Unit.
However in September 2016, Baksh started sending in a number of medical certificates, having reported sick.
SARU, in its investigations, found a number of other transactions it wanted the CFO to explain.
Police reportedly said that they visited the Seafield, Leonora home on West Coast Demerara, and another property he owns in Lamaha Gardens, in the city, but could not locate him.
The running of the unit was closely controlled by former Minister Ali and his CFO.
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