Final witness testifies against former GRDB heads

Jan 29, 2020 News

Special Prosecutor Patrice Henry, who is working for the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), yesterday called his final witness to testify in the trial of two former officials of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), who are facing charges of fraudulent conversion and misappropriation.

Jagnarine Singh and Madanlall Ramraj

The defendants are former General Manager of the Guyana Rice Development Board, Jagnarine Singh, and former Deputy General Manager, Madanlall Ramraj.
Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty is presiding in the trial, which is being conducted in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Attorney-at-law Glenn Hanoman is representing the two men.
The alleged fraud took place between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2015. There are 17 charges of keeping fraudulent accounts, 16 for fraudulent appropriation and five for the falsification of accounts.
The final witness, Corporal Fizal Ali of SOCU, yesterday took the stand and exhausted his evidence to the court.
His evidence was based on having an interview with the two defendants and putting certain documents to them. Singh and Ramraj were allowed to give an explanation as to why their signatures were affixed to the documents. They were then arrested and told of the allegations against them.
On the next occasion that the matter is called, Ali will be cross-examined by defence counsel. The matter was adjourned to the day after elections which is March 3, next.
Four other officials have had their cases dismissed based on insufficient evidence led by the prosecution. They had all pleaded not guilty to the charges that were put to them.
Former accountant Peter Ramcharran’s matter is still before the court.

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