Chairman of the Police Service Commission and former Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul Slowe was absent today when he and several retired officers of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) were charged in relation to a multi-million dollar fraud investigation.
Slowe, Clinton Conway, former Senior Superintendents Mark Gilbert, Michael Sutton, Claude Whittaker, George Fraser, Royston Andries-Junor, Marceline Washington, and Marlon Kellman were this morning charged with conspiracy to commit a felony. However, Washington and Slowe were not present at court.
The joint charge, which they were not required to plea to was read to them by Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus in Court 3 of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
It is alleged that between March 1, 2019, and July 7, 2020, at the GPF Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, they conspired together and with other persons to defraud the GPF of $10,056,000, by paying Slowe, Conway, Whittaker, Fraser, and Gilbert, the said $10M, without complying with the proper procedures, purportedly to do a review of the GPF standing order which had already commenced in July 2018, and concluded in March 2019, by the strategic planning of the GPF.
Sutton was also separately charged with misconduct in public office. It is alleged that while being and performing duties as a finance officer at the GPF Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, between July 1, 2019, and July 31, 2019, he willfully misconducted himself by signing seven vouchers as the accounting officer, which he was not authorized to do, enabling Slowe, Conway, Whittaker, Fraser, and Gilbert to be paid a total of $1,776,000, without the approval of Daniella Calmon, the accounting officer, without any reasonable excuse or justification.
The persons charged were represented by a battery of lawyers comprising Nigel Hughes,
Patrice henry, Narisa Leander and others, who made successful bail applications. For the joint charge, they were each placed on $100,000 bail. Sutton was placed on an additional $100,000 bail for the misconduct in public office charge.
The matter has been adjourned until June 3.
The alleged fraud was unearthed during an investigation conducted by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU).
Yesterday, Guyana Standard reported that it is alleged that former members of the GPF were expected to be charged for fraud. Guyana Standard further reported that the money was allegedly paid to revise the entire Guyana Police Force’s Standing Orders but Slowe and the others have so far allegedly failed to present the GPF with a completed revised Standing Order.
The GPF has a Standing Order which comprises 104 Standing Orders. The entire 104 Standing Orders of the GPF was completely revised by Civilian Police Analysts that worked at the Strategic Planning Unit of the Guyana Police Force between July 2018 and March 2019. Guyana Standard understands that Slowe and others were paid to do the same revision when it was already done.
According to information, the officers, allegedly conspired and gave themselves a job that clearly should have gone to the Tender Board by law because of the quantity.
In addition, Slowe and Retired Assistant Commissioner Clinton Conway– being members of the Police Service Commission, which overlooks the Police Force as the disciplinary body – cannot take contracts and enter into agreements for which they can gain substantial monetary rewards.
Meanwhile, it is alleged that during March and April 2019, a female Assistant Superintendent, who worked along with Slowe, was sexually assaulted by Slowe three times.
These alleged sexual assaults were reported to an Assistant Commissioner who failed to take proper action, the Force said. These investigations are still ongoing.
