A Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Prosecutor who was arrested following an allegation of him agreeing to collect a bribe to dismiss a court matter, was today brought before a City Court to answer to the charge.
Sherwin Crandon, 44, of George Street, Werk-en-Rust, was charged with corrupt transaction of an agent when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
He was placed on $150,000 bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.
The charge states that on May 19, 2021, at Seeta’s bar, Kitty, Georgetown, being a prosecutor employed with the GGMC, he corruptly obtained $300,000 from Viveka Singh as an inducement for forbearing to prosecute and to cause the matter to be dismissed against Viveka Singh, a businessman mingling in Mahdia, for illegal mining, an act about his principal affairs.
The matter was adjourned until June 8.
Guyana Standard understands that on May 19, 2021, the gold miner visited the Guyana Police Force’s Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters at Eve Leary, Georgetown, and reported that Crandon told him he is willing to dismiss a case against him if he pays Crandon $300,000, and if he does not comply, then he will be convicted for the offense.
Back in 2019, Singh was charged by the GGMC for illegal mining at Blackwater, Mahdia. The matter is currently being tried at the Diamond Magistrate’s Court.
Crandon has denied the allegation. The police said that he admitted to collecting the money from the gold miner, but claimed that he wanted to “borrow” same.
Meanwhile, Singh told the police that he was contacted by Crandon on the date mentioned and was told by Crandon that he is willing to dismiss his case if he pays him $300,000. The gold miner said Crandon then gave him a location to meet him (a popular bar in Station Street, Kitty), and the date is 19th May 2021 at 16:00 hrs. As a result, a sting operation was executed.
On the said date at 16:30 hours, a party of Policemen, acting on information arrested Crandon. The police also searched Crandon and the $300,000 Guyana Currency was found in his pants pocket.
