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$100,000 bail for PS in alleged bribery scandal
Kaieteur News – More than two months after she was allegedly caught red-handed collecting a bribe from a contractor, the Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs (MOAA), Sharon Hicks was yesterday charged for the offence.
Charged, Sharon Hicks.
Hicks, 42, of Onderneeming, West Bank Demerara, appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, in the company of her lawyer, Sase Gunraj. She denied the charge, which stated that on October 7, 2021, at 251-252 Thomas and Quamina Streets, Georgetown, while being an agent employed by the Government of Guyana, she obtained from Heramainie Chintamanie, for herself, $200,000 as an inducement or reward for processing the payment requests for security services provided.
Gunraj made a bail application for his client to be released on bail and same was granted by the Magistrate. The defendant was placed on $100,000 bail and the matter was adjourned to December 20, 2021, for statements.
On Wednesday, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, S.C., returned the case file to police investigators, with advice to charge the PS for corrupt transaction by agent.
Sharon Hicks and her lawyer, yesterday at court.
Hicks was caught on October 7, during a police sting operation collecting $200,000 as a kickback from a security services contractor. Investigators had learnt the PS had a deal with the previous owner of the company. The deal was that, in order to receive contracts, he must pay her $200,000 every month.
Unfortunately, that contractor died and his son took over the business operations. The new owner was reportedly unaware of the deal with the PS, and became ‘fed up’ after she began demanding money from him just to sign off some invoices. As a result, he notified police and a sting operation was set up. The man agreed to pay her the money on October 7, and she was allegedly caught red-handed by ranks collecting the cash. Hicks was sent on administrative leave immediately to facilitate an investigation. However, it took more than two months before the DPP’s office could advise for her to be charged for the unlawful act. The file had been back and forth between the DPP and police investigators. Police had to correct errors and return the file on three occasions.
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