Region 4 Regional Executive Officer (REO) Shafdar Ali turned himself over to police yesterday morning, for questioning in relation to a multi-million dollar fraud on the state.
The REO was escorted to Police Headquarters, Eve Leary by attorney Khemraj Ramjattan. Ali remained in police custody up to late yesterday afternoon and Ramjattan said it was unlikely that he would be released on bail.
Last Friday, police issued a bulletin for Ali in which they stated he was wanted in connection for the fraud. Over the weekend there had been reports that the REO fled the country, however, Ramjattan told Stabroek News yesterday afternoon that Ali contacted him that morning and indicated that he wished to turn himself in but was afraid. Ali’s fear, Ramjattan said, stemmed from recent reports of ill treatment of persons in custody by police. “I indicated to him that in view of the arrest warrant issued for him he should turn himself in,” Ramjattan said. “He told me that he asked two PPP [People’s Progressive Party] lawyers to accompany him but they abandoned him.”
The attorney agreed to drop Ali to Eve Leary after listening to the man’s explanation. “I was doing my duty to ensure that a person for whom a wanted bulletin was out was taken into to police and to ensure that anyone who was handed over to the police is safe and would be treated in a proper manner,” Ramjattan said.
Police, according to Ramjattan, are questioning Ali in relation to a number of transactions and he was given a number of documents to peruse.
Ali, the attorney added, has indicated that he’ll explain everything and he is maintaining that he didn’t do anything wrong.
Ali told the attorney that he believes he is being made a scapegoat by the government. “He also told me that what he has to say is going to be very explosive in terms of how it will affect the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development,” Ramjattan said.
Ramjattan further reported that Ali explained to him that he was “largely being dictated to about what is to be done.” Government, Ali reportedly told the attorney, will boast that they are dealing with corruption when they are really covering up the real corruption.
Stabroek News had been previously informed by a source that Region Four Chairman Clement Corlette was forced to call in the Auditor General to conduct a probe after certain difficulties arose.
However, in a letter to this newspaper (published in today’s letters to the editor section) Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Kellawan Lall indicated that it was his “explicit instructions” which resulted in the investigation into “alleged financial irregularities by Region 4 personnel” being conducted. The minister further indicated that he has since received a preliminary report.
A Government Informa-tion Agency release had reported that Minister Lall said Ali and the Regional Democratic Council Expediter Bharrat Persaud were sent on leave.
The amount of money the state has allegedly been defrauded of and over what period of time this occurred has not yet been announced.
A councillor on the Region Four RDC, speaking with Stabroek News recently on the condition of anonymity, said that Ali held four key positions.
In addition to being the REO, Ali also held the positions of the Chief Accounting Officer, Chairman of the Tender Board and Clerk of the RDC. The REO should not have held all these positions, the councillor insisted. “Especially after the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act was passed Ali should not have been allowed to wear these four caps…this power should have been given to the RDC as a collective body,” the councillor opined. “The government itself is at fault for what has happened here today.”
Just over a year ago, the councillor recalled, a motion to strip Ali of his authority had been presented by an AFC member.
However, the PNCR-1G members had abstained from voting so the motion was never acted upon.
It was later after certain difficulties arose, the councillor said, that Corlette was forced to call in the Auditor General. “When the RDC approves, the REO removes,” the councillor stated.
Over the last three years or so it had come to the attention of the council that three main contractors had been utilised. One of these was the contractor who was responsible for the $1.1M flimsy bridge at Bobby White Street, Bee Hive North last year. The bridge was built in the late December 2008 and residents raised their concerns during early 2009.
