Irfaan Ali petition stalls Pradoville 2 matter in Magistrate’s Court

Jan 08, 2019 News

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Days after former Housing Minister, Mohamed Irfaan Ali moved to the High Court to quash 19 fraud charges that he is facing for the controversial Pradoville Two scheme, the matter was yesterday called in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) Prosecutor, Patrice Henry told the court – presided over by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan – that the Prosecution team will not be applying the Administrative Justice Act (AJA).
He cited that all 19 charges will be dealt with as indictable. Hence, Ali will not be allowed to plead to the charges.
The Prosecutor went on to tell the court that one statement is still outstanding and that the Prosecution will hand over statements during the next court appearance.
The Magistrate, after listening to the prosecutor, adjourned the matter until February 6, pending the hearing and determination of the matter in the High Court.
Ali allegedly sold 19 State Lands to 19 high-ranking officials. However, his lawyers on January 2 last, moved to the High Court and filed an application for a stay of proceedings for the matters in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The application was filed by Senior Counsel Neil Boston, and Attorneys-at-Law, Anil Nandlall and Devindra Kissoon.

The matter is fixed to be heard before Justice Franklin Holder on January 11, 2019.
Two months ago, Ali was arrested by ranks attached to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), and hauled before the Chief Magistrate after being slapped with the 19 fraud charges.
The former minister is accused of defrauding Government of over $174M, by selling several plots of State lands, below the market value, to former ministers of the then PPP/C government.
Also representing Ali are Attorneys, Jaya Manickchand and Sase Gunraj.
The charges against Ali stated that, between the period 2011 and 2015, he conspired with persons unknown to defraud the Government, when he acted recklessly by selling 19 plots of State Lands at Plantation Sparendaam and Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara. The lands, which were sold for a mere $39.8M, are valued at $212.4M, according to SOCU.
Ali is accused of ‘greatly underselling’ the 19 plots of State Lands to former President Bharrat Jagdeo; former Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon; Luncheon’s wife, Floreen Ramnaught; and former ministers, Priya Manickchand, Dr. Jennifer Westford, Robert Persaud and Clement Rohee; Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack; former army Chief-of-Staff, Gary Best; and Fortune Developers Inc. Guyana.
Ali is also accused of selling lands to former General Manager of the Guyana Gold Board and daughter of former President Donald Ramotar, Lisaveta Ramotar; former President of the Private Sector Commission, Ramesh Dookhoo; and the son of former Labour Minister, Dr. Nanda Gopaul; Dr. Ghansham Singh; former Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Chief Executive Officer, Rajendra Singh; and former president of the Caribbean Development Bank, Dr. Compton Bourne.
And Ali is also accused of selling lands to Former Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, Safraaz Khan; former CEO of Guyana Water Inc., Shaik Baksh; along with George Halla and Dave Narine.
The 38-year-old was released on his own recognizance (self bail) on his first court appearance.
It was reported that after five months, SOCU completed its investigation into the allocation of lands at ‘Pradoville Two’ to Cabinet members of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic Administration and their close associates.

The investigation was part of a larger probe of the financial operations of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA), which was conducted by accounting firm, Ram & McRae.
The investigation suggested that the allocation of the lands was a clandestine arrangement that was handled personally by Ali, and it was concluded that a criminal case for misfeasance could be made against the PPP/C Cabinet members who benefitted.
The forensic audit found that awardees grossly underpaid for the lots by a total, just short of $250 million, while the state-owned National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited, National Communications Network, and Guyana Power and Light Inc. were never reimbursed for millions of dollars spent to execute preparatory works.
While the minister has considerable powers under the Housing Act, his role in the issuance of titles was well outside of his functions and powers,” the audit report said.
The report added, “No files were maintained by CHPA for any of the plots allocated by a process that can be described as lacking transparency at best.
It was stated that, of the 28 lots, totalling 12.1187 acres, only 3.9693 acres remain unallocated.
Over two dozen persons, including former president Jagdeo and some of his former ministers, were questioned by SOCU officials in the early stages of the investigations.

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