-probe now a ‘bit wider,’ says senior cop
No one has yet appeared before the court in connection with the Guyana Power & Light’s (GPL) stolen transformers, one of which was found installed at a new mall, because the investigation has gotten a “bit wider”, a senior police officer said yesterday.
“We are doing some more investigation and more than three persons will be charged, we just have to do some more investigation,” the officer said. Stabroek News had been told on Sunday that three persons were expected to appear in court the following day.
Managing Director of GPL Bharrat Dindyal told Stabroek News last Friday that the police had informed him that several persons would have faced the court sometime during the week.
Five transformers were stolen from the company’s Sophia location sometime after October last year.
A Campbellville businessman later took three small transformers to GPL for them to be tested and it was discovered that these were the property of the company. The three had been sprayed over.
A check by company officials also discovered that two heavy-duty transformers, valued US$30,000 each, were also missing and information later led to the discovery of one of them at the recently opened Regent Multiplex mall two Sundays ago.
And last Saturday morning the fifth transformer was found dumped on Cane View Avenue, South Ruimveldt. Police had said that the transformer was discovered at around 9:30 am Saturday after they received a call. It had apparently been dumped on Friday night.
Dindyal had said except for the missing name plate there seemed to be nothing wrong with the transformer.
He had said too he felt that because the police were closing in on those who had possession of the device they decided to dump it.
And while he was glad that the transformer, which was discovered missing last December, was recovered he is worried that there seems to be an organised gang stealing, altering and re-selling GPL’s transformers.
Dindyal had earlier explained that the transformers were among those the company had on standby to assist in the operation of the pumps during flooding because in the 2005 Great Flood transformers were needed and the company had none available at the time.
Dindyal said the transformers were part of a “contingency plan” and he said he hoped that whatever actions are taken by the police would send a strong message to those who are involved in the theft, selling and buying of stolen transformers.
Observers have asked why the businessman who took the three transformers to be tested in December was not charged with receiving stolen property.
So far, no one has been charged in that case.
Dindyal had told Stabroek News that they had called in the police as soon as they realised those transformers belonged to the company. He could not say why no one was charged and police yesterday said that the wider investigation includes those three stolen transformers as well.
Questions have also been asked about the quality of security and the systems in place at GPL considering that two heavy transformers were spirited out of a GPL location.
