Latest update November 26th, 2024 1:00 AM
City Treasurer arrested on bribery allegation
A security officer cautions Leon Phillips (right) as City Treasurer Andrew Meredith (left) looks on
Andrew Meredith, the City Treasurer of the Mayor and City Council, sought refuge at the Guyana Revenue Authority’s Licence and Revenue Office (LRO) in Georgetown yesterday after he was confronted by a man who is accusing him of accepting a bribe.
Leon Phillips, 24, of 169 D’Aguiar’s Park, East Bank Demerara, alleged that Meredith took $80,000 from him as an inducement to make a final payment on the purchase of a low bed and hauler. The police were summoned and they escorted Meredith out of the GRA premises. They had come from the Brickdam Station.
Phillips, who is a debt collector, told Kaieteur News that RRT Enterprise had sold a hauler and low bed trailer to M&CC for $10M. He stated that the first payment of $6 M was made by the M&CC on March 16. Another payment of $2M was made on April 23. The remainder was outstanding.
Meredith said that there was a delay on paying the remainder because money was not available and because RRT did not provide City Hall with the documents to the hauler and low bed. He said that at the instigation of the City Engineer, he paid a further one million dollars on October 12, by declining to pay NIS contributions and PAYE.
After months went by Phillips contended that he told Meredith that he would lodge complaints to the Ministry of Local Government, because of the delay in receiving the remaining one million dollars.
Phillips contended that a “Mr. Patterson” from M&CC called him and stated that Meredith is requesting $100,000 before he can sign the cheque for the outstanding $1M.
He said that Meredith subsequently called him and asked him to meet with him in his office to collect the money. He said that he gave Meredith $80,000 and he (Meredith) wrote a cheque for the outstanding balance of $1M.
Phillips said that while he was in a meeting, with “Mr. Rooplall” at the Ministry of Local Government on October 28, last, Meredith contacted him via telephone, demanding another $30,000.
Phillips contended that the call was placed on loud speaker before “Mr. Rooplall”.
He said that Meredith told him that $80,000 was not enough, so he will have to pay him an additional $30,000 or the cheque will ‘rebound’ at the bank.
Meredith denied any such call or any contact with Phillips outside his office. He said that he never asked or demanded any money from Phillips. Kaieteur News understands that the cheque that Phillips received from the city’s treasurer was a “bounced cheque.”
Meredith said that he issued a stop order because RRT up to that point did not submit the documents for the vehicle in keeping with the agreement of sale.
Phillips said that he contacted the office of the treasurer to make enquiries about the cheque, but was told that Meredith had gone on leave.
Phillips said that he was told by M&CC, that he will receive another cheque on November 10, 2010 for the outstanding balance of $1M, which he did not receive until Friday last.
According to Phillips, yesterday afternoon he saw Meredith in the vicinity of Eccles, East Bank Demerara and confronted him for a return of the $80,000 that he, Meredith, allegedly took as an inducement to pay.
Witnesses told this newspaper that they did overhear Meredith telling Phillips to accompany him to the licence office in Georgetown where Meredith would have refunded Phillips.
Meredith denied making any such statement or promise.
But Phillips was in a confrontational mood and had to be restrained by ranks in the compound when he and Meredith met at the Licence and Revenue office.
The police were summoned by LRO officials, and they escorted Meredith to the Brickdam Police Station.
Kaieteur News understands that Andrew Meredith, was eventually released on $25,000 bail and asked to return to the Brickdam Police Station today.
The police are investigating the allegation that Meredith demanded money with menace.
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