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PS in ‘kickback’ scandal freed
Freed: Sharon Hicks
Kaieteur News – Former Permanent Security (PS) with the Amerindian Affairs, Sharon Hicks, 42, was on Friday freed from a corruption charge after she was reportedly caught red-handed some 10 months ago collecting a ‘kickback’ to sign off invoices for a contractor.
Hicks was able to walk free from the charge after a key witness in the court matter against her refused to testify. As result, the Presiding Magistrate was left with no option but to dismiss the case.
Hicks was arrested in October, 2021 by detectives after she was busted in a sting operation collecting bribe money from a contractor at her Quamina and Thomas Streets, South Cummingsburg office.
Kaieteur News had reported back then that a sting operation was setup after a businessman who usually provides security services to the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs reported to the police that the PS was demanding monies from him before signing off on his invoices.
Hicks and the businessman’s father reportedly had a deal in which she would help him secure a contract with the Ministry and in return he pays her $200,000 a month. After the businessman’s father died, he took over his father’s business and that is when Hicks approached him to strike the same deal, to which he first agreed. However, after reportedly paying Hicks for three months, he became tired and reported the matter to police.
As a result, a sting operation was setup and marked notes with serial numbers were handed over to the PS by the contractor while in her office. After Hicks collected the money a plain-clothes police officer walked into her office, identified himself and cautioned her.
She was detained and released on bail. The Ministry too had sent her on administrative leave to facilitate the investigation and it took the relevant authorities some three months to charge and place her before the court.
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