Almost three weeks after receiving the file a second time, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is yet to make a final pronouncement on the vehicle transfer probe involving former minister of Public Service Dr Jennifer Westford and several others.
An official of the DPP’s chambers said yesterday that the file was still there and Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum reiterated that it was not returned to him. “It is not here,” he stated, before adding that the file was still with the DPP.
It is unclear what is stalling the DPP, but sources say that there might be some issues with government’s announcement that amnesty will be given so that the state-owned vehicles could be returned.
Police had sent a file to the DPP but it was returned on July 7 with certain instructions. It was returned one day later.
All of the vehicles which are at the centre of the probe have been returned.
The scheme was unearthed when Commis-sioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Khurshid Sattaur wrote to Permanent Secretary of the Public Service Ministry Hydar Ally on June 10, 2015 requesting that he re-issue a letter, dated April 14, 2015, requesting the transfer of registration for eight vehicles into the names of Westford, Wayne Walker, Delroy Lewis, Gary Beaton (who is said to be Westford’s spouse) and Osbert McPherson.
There were also accompanying receipts which showed that they had paid cash for the vehicles in question. It is believed that the receipts are fakes, particularly since they did not look like official government-issued receipts.
Two employees of the Public Service Ministry were subsequently sent on leave.
Of the five named persons, all have remained silent except Lewis, who is a driver attached to the Ministry. The man denied any knowledge of the scheme and said he had turned in the vehicle he drove the day he proceeded on leave.
