Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry of the Presidency Omar Shariff yesterday denied any involvement in the theft or embezzlement of public funds and charged that the distorted information appearing in the media is evidence of a campaign to stain his character.
In his first public statement since he was sent on leave pending an investigation by the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU), Shariff also noted his disappointment that information obtained from him by investigators has been leaked to the press.
Shariff, who said that his statement came after consultation with his attorney, explained that it was also felt that it had become necessary for him to address the “false and unsubstantiated allegations and imputations” being published in the electronic, broadcast and print media.
“I wish to strongly condemn a series of vile, sensationalist, untrue, propagandistic, and, in substantial and material respects, misleading news reports carried by sections of the electronic, broadcast and print media in Guyana following a decision by the Special Organized Crime Unit to launch an investigation into a personal matter related to tax remittance and compliance regarding my legitimate business operations over the past few years,” he said, while noting that his business and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) have been in engagement on the issue since early 2007.
It was reported in the media that Shariff’s personal business involved the sale of phone cards.
He said the distortion of the personal income tax matter to make it appear to be “theft and embezzlement of public funds was without any factual foundation and mischievous by those who did so.”
Shariff said that he would like it to be known that that he has not been involved either by himself or in collusion with anyone in any theft or embezzlement of public funds. “I am unable to discern from where the publications have concluded that I was holding billions of dollars in my accounts; this is simply not true. The continued publication of these have caused me and my family great concern- security, hardship and otherwise,” he said.
Agenda
Shariff pointed out that the fact that selected media houses continue to publish detailed information which they purport “to be true (but which is materially and substantially false) about my alleged assets, accounts and their contents, is indicative that one or more persons at a high level of the investigation is not only leaking information but is pursuing an obvious agenda against me by seeking to try me in public, impugn my integrity and reduce my standing as a professional.”
He said that he is disappointed that information provided to SOCU and which SOCU took from his home pursuant to a search warrant “has found its way into the public domain and has been deliberately skewed, distorted, misrepresented and misinterpreted for obvious sensationalism, implying I had stolen billions of dollars of public funds and owned billions of dollars’ worth of property and shares in public companies; none of which have any factual underpinning. This is simply not true.”
Shariff made it clear that he had cooperated fully throughout the investigation and provided all information when asked.
“I deny all allegations which seek to link me and my business to money laundering, tax evasion and any corrupt practice that arises as a result of misuse of public funds or the breakage of the law. I wish to iterate my confidence in the Government and my expectation of the investigating bodies and all concerned with probing this matter that due process and justice will prevail and the rule of law maintained. I am confident that I will be vindicated at the end of this matter,” he said.
He later issued a call to the media to be “fair, impartial, balanced and responsible” in their reportage and to those investigating to restrain from divulging information.
Shariff, a contract employee was rehired by former president Donald Ramotar when he took office in 2011. He had previously resigned as PS of the Ministry of Health under former president Bharrat Jagdeo.
Despite the change in government after May, 2015 polls, Shariff was retained by the APNU+AFC administration. Follow-ing the commencement of the SOCU investigation into his bank accounts, he was sent on leave in late June.
Minister of State Joseph Harmon has said Shariff was sent on leave to facilitate the ongoing investigation into the acquisition of his personal assets and accounts. Although Harmon refused to comment on the recent revelations in the media citing the fact that the investigation is still active, a Ministry of the Presidency statement reported him as saying that the exorbitant accumulation of property and wealth, which cannot be justified by income, by any public servant, regardless of their position in the administration, would raise questions.
