Alberttown businessman says SOCU owes almost $2M for car rentals

Even as he denied refusing to cooperate with Guyana Police Force auditors looking into the financial records of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), an Alberttown businessman yesterday said that the unit’s head, Assistant Commissioner Sydney James, still owes him for the rental of two of his vehicles.

Mohamed Ali, who owns Aidan’s Car Rental, said he is owed for six months and claims that late last year he had to demand the return of a vehicle that was reportedly driven by former SOCU advisor, Sam Sittlington, because of the outstanding money. Sittlington has repeatedly said that he paid and collected the receipts for all the vehicles he rented while in Guyana.

As part of the audit, James had submitted records to show that $10.3 million was paid to Ali for car rental services. The vagueness of the receipts, which have no letterhead or official stamps, raised red flags. This was further compounded by what the auditors said was the businessman’s refusal to cooperate.