As part of the surety for the US$100,000 bail he was granted on Monday, Chief Executive Officer of the Exec Jet Club Khamraj Lall has had to submit his pilot’s licences and has been confined to his New Jersey home with the only travel allowed being to Puerto Rico for his court hearing.
This may be the reason why one day after the court hearing it was announced that Lall—who was two weeks ago caught with US$620,000 stashed aboard his private jet at a Puerto Rican airport—had suspended his services to Guyana.
Lall is still the CEO of his company, but according to court documents, he can only operate in an administrative capacity and perform his duties from his residence. At Monday’s hearing Lall, filed a waiver of preliminary hearing which was approved and probable cause as to the charges contained in the criminal complaint was found.
Lall appeared before Magistrate Judge Marcos E Lopez, who additionally ordered that he not violate federal, state, or local law while on release; must cooperate in the collection of a DNA sample if it is authorised; must advise the court or the pre-trial services office or supervising officer in writing before making any change of residence or telephone number; and must appear in court as required and if convicted must surrender as directed to serve a sentence that the court may impose.
The operations of the Exec Jet Club have been under scrutiny since Lall’s arrest in Puerto Rico on November 22, on suspicion of intent to evade currency reporting. Lall faces up to five years in prison.
President Donald Ramotar has used Lall’s services to take him on official business and government has since said that utilising the service was a cheaper option in all instances although it has yet to release a cost.
And although sources from both customs and immigration and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) have said that Exec Jet staff, especially Lall, were granted waivers on security checks when coming into Guyana, Transport Minister Robeson Benn has dismissed the claims that Lall was granted any waivers from regular CJIA security and customs protocol. “At no time was any instruction given to the staff to waive the airport security procedures with regard to Exec Jet Club’s staff ingress or egress at the airport,” he stressed.
Searches of Lall’s private aircraft during a refuelling stop at the Luis Munoz International Airport, in San Juan, uncovered US$150,000, wrapped in plastic bags and a blanket under the exit row seat and US$470,000 in a black suitcase inside a compartment next to the engines which contained several black garbage bags containing bundles of currency. Lall, authorities said, accepted responsibility and ownership for the money and informed that his pilot and his father, who were with him during the refuelling stop, had nothing to with the monies. Under US law, amounts over US$10,000 must be declared.
