Chief Justice stays magistrates’ court proceedings against Dr. Singh, Brassington

Jul 18, 2018 News

Former Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh

Chief Justice Roxane George has ordered Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan to put a hold on criminal proceedings against Former Minister of Finance,Dr. Ashni Singh and former head of the National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited (NICIL), Winston Brassington. Both were slapped with a second set of charges for ‘Misconduct in Public Office.’
The order was made yesterday by the Chief Justice, who ordered that all criminal proceedings in the lower courts be halted until the High Court determines the legality and validity of the criminal charges.
Lawyers for the men in a Fixed Date Application (FDA) are challenging the legality and validity of the charges on several grounds.
Brassington and Singh were charged with ‘Misconduct in Public Office’ after being accused of wrongdoing in the Sanata Textiles deal with Queens Atlantic Investment Inc.
Queens Atlantic Investment Inc. is owned by Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop and Dr. Randy Singh, who are close friends of former President Bharrat Jagdeo.

Winston Brassington

The new charge against the duo states that Dr. Ashni Singh, being and performing duties of Minister of Finance, and Chairman of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited, a company owned by the Government of Guyana; and Brassington, being and performing duties as the Chief Executive of NICIL, a company owned by the Government of Guyana, between October 26, 2010 and December 20, 2010 at Lot 126 Barrack Street, Kingston, Georgetown, by way of Agreement of Sale and Purchase, acted recklessly when they sold to Queens Atlantic Investment Inc, Sanata Texiles Complex, with building and erections thereon, that is to say, Parcel 4702, Part of Plantation Ruimveldt, situated on the East Bank Demerara, being 18.871 acres, being $697,864,800.00 plus VAT, knowing that the said property was valued at the sum of $1,042,403,500.00, and was therefore being sold at a price that was grossly undervalued, thereby creating a breach of their duties”.
The men are still to answer to this charge. On the first occasion that the charges were brought in court, both Dr. Singh and Brassington were a no show. On the second occasion, June 28, when the matter was called, Brassington was the only one in court.
In May, Justice Franklin Holder granted a similar order in relation to two charges of ‘Misconduct in Public Office’ brought against the two former high ranking government officials. Those charges are in relation to Government lands which were sold way below the market value.
According to the first charge, Dr. Singh as Minister of Finance, and Brassington 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.
The other charge stated that Dr. Singh and 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, Pattensen 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.
The men were each placed on bail on $6 million in relation to these three charges.
Attorneys-at-Law Anil Nandlall, Stanley Moore, Mark Waldron, Ronald Burch-Smith and Sase Gunraj are among the batter of lawyer representing the men.