Ashni Singh, Winston Brassington charged with fraud

Apr 13, 2018 News

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– accused given three weeks to appear in court

– lands sold to MovieTowne, National Hardware at the centre

Months after Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) completed its Pradoville 2 investigation, it instituted charges, yesterday, against former Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh; and former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited (NICIL) Winston Brassington.
The two were jointly slapped with three charges of misconduct in public office as these relate to three plots of state land.
The first charge alleged that Dr. Ashni Singh, being and performing duties of Minister of Finance, and Chairman of the National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited, a company owned by the Government of Guyana; and Brassington being and performing duties as the Chief Executive of NICIL, on May 14, 2011 at Lot 126 Barrack Street, Kingston, Georgetown, sold a tract of land, being a portion 10.002 acres of Plantation Turkeyen, East Coast of Demerara, property of the State of Guyana for the sum of $185,037,000, without first having procured a valuation of the said property from a competent valuation officer.
It is further alleged that Dr. Ashni Singh, and Winston Brassington on December 30, 2008 at Lot 126 Barrack Street, Kingston, Georgetown, by way of Agreement of Sale and Purchase without due diligence, sold to Scady Business Corporation, a 4.7 acres tract portion of Plantation Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, for $150M knowing that the said property was valued at $340M by Rodrigues Architects Associate, a competent valuation officer.

The last allegation against the two stated that Dr. Ashni Singh, and Brassington on December 28, 2009 at 126 Barrack Street, Kingston, Georgetown, by way of Agreement of Sale and Purchase, acted recklessly when they sold to National Hardware Guyana Limited a tract of land at Plantation Liliendaal, Pattenson and Turkeyen, situated on the East Coast of Demerara, being 103 acres, being property of the State of Guyana for the sum of $598,659,398 (VAT exclusive) without first having procured a valuation of the said property from a competent valuation officer.
Attorney-at-law Anil Nandlall is representing Ashni Singh while Attorney-at-law Stanley Moore is representing Winston Brassington.
Yesterday when the matter was called before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, the court orderly summoned the men’s name thrice. No one answered or appeared to the names.
SOCU Prosecutor Michael Somersall requested that the two accused be given adequate time to make an appearance before the Chief Magistrate.
The Magistrate after listening to the Prosecutor told the court that she will grant the Prosecutor and the accused lawyers three weeks to properly inform their client that they need to make an appearance in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts for the three charges to be read to them.
The duo is expected to make their appearance before the Chief on May 7.
Charges were recommended against the two after SOCU had completed their Pradoville 2 investigations and has sent that file to the police legal advisor recommending that 12 persons be charged.
With charges being laid against the two, the police will have issues making that a reality since both men are no longer living in Guyana.
Brassington now lives in Miami Florida and Singh is said to be working in Washington. Initial reports had placed him in the oil rich country of Dubai.

Brassington was at the helm at NICIL when the controversial Pradoville 2 Scheme was conceptualized.
There were whispers among Government members that the former head has a lot to answer for in relation to the Sparendaam Scheme.
The contention was and still is that the lands that were sold to former government ministers and close friends of the PPP/C administration was seriously undervalued.
Ashni Singh was the Minister of Finance at the infancy stage of the project and is believed to be a recipient of one of those plots overlooking the sea.
NICIL reportedly paid over $100M to take down the tower and build the new transmitting facility and charge the expense to NCN.
Charges have already been laid against several other Government officials who served under the previous government, for malpractice in public office.
Hours after an article was published in the Chronicle that the duo had been charged for the alleged misconduct in public office, former president Donald Ramotar issued a statement that the charges are an attempt to destroy the professional lives of these “two gentlemen.”
He added that the only “crime” is that they worked dedicatedly to promote this country and our people’s interests while the PPP/C was in office.
He said, “As a former President who worked with these two outstanding Guyanese men, I can vouch for their uprightness, professionalism and integrity while in public office.”
“This latest attack on Dr. Singh and Mr. Brassington is a continuation of the witch-hunting and the racial and political discrimination that has characterized this APNU+AFC regime since it took office in May of 2015,” he added.
“Not content in forcing these outstanding gentlemen to seek employment outside of Guyana, they now seem determined to destroy their professional lives.
We cannot build a country with such vindictiveness and spite,” Ramotar continued.

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