The United Kingdom (UK) yesterday terminated the contract that Dr. Sam Sittlington has with the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU); the same day that Stabroek News reported that he has registered a local branch of his company even while advising SOCU on training and a range of other matters.
A terse statement from UK High Commissioner Greg Quinn stated that “in light of information about Dr. Sam Sittlington’s private business interests his contract in Guyana has been terminated with immediate effect”.
According to documents seen by this newspaper the Fraud Company (Guyana) Inc was incorporated under the Com-panies Act of Guyana on September 25, 2018. Sittlington, a native of Northern Ireland is listed as the Director while the Secretary is Orisa Branche. The local firm is authorised to issue one million shares at $1 each. Sittlington and Branche – whose occupation is listed as Manager – on August 26, 2018, signed consent forms to act in the respective positions.
At least one source stressed that the situation was “highly unethical” as Sittlington was hired to advise and train officials on matters related to anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism. They also noted that Sittlington could use the information he gathers through SOCU to advance his private business.
Sittlington, a former police investigator and fraud expert arrived in Guyana in early 2016 and had been working continuously with SOCU since then to strengthen the unit’s operational and investigative ability, with a view to increasing the effectiveness of Guyana and its ability to tackle money laundering, terrorist financing and other serious crimes. This newspaper was told that initially he worked closely with investigators on high profile matters and went on raids. Sources said as of now, he only acts in an advisory capacity, providing clarity and offering direction to investigators. Sources said too that he also focuses heavily on training for law enforcement officials.
Sittlington also played an integral role in training sessions aimed at assisting prosecutors and investigators in preparing files for anti-money laundering and assets recovery cases.
His company according to his LinkedIn profile, “facilitates my role as an advisor, developing strategy, best practice and delivering bespoke training programs such as: Fraud Investigation, Fraud Risk Management, Bribery & Corruption, Anti-money laundering, Financial Investigation, Asset Management and Terrorist Financing to a global audience.”
According to the company’s website, The Fraud Company Ltd offers unique services in the financial crime environment.
“Our company has the expertise and knowledge through our associations to cover all aspects of training, investigation, risk management, asset recovery, compliance and governance in the areas of fraud, anti-money laundering, counter terrorist financing, bribery and corruption and environmental risk. We have a proven track record in all these areas and due to that success and demand for additional services we have begun to expand into other related fields,” it says.
Sittlington has been a controversial figure since his appointment in 2016 with former Attorney General Anil Nandlall arguing in March 2017 that Sittlington exceeded his mandate and entered into both operational matters at SOCU and the political realm when he joined SOCU on raids, interrogations and spoke on their behalf to media.
“Based upon information I have received from clients who have been the subject of SOCU’s investigations and from what I personally observed on Tuesday, 7th of March 2017, it is difficult not to conclude that Dr. Sittlington may have exceeded his official remit and trespassed into operational matters at SOCU. Moreover, it is awfully difficult to reconcile the admitted remit of Dr. Sittlington at SOCU, that is, as an advisor and a trainer, with `him explaining [to the press] the legal basis and rights on which SOCU took the actions they did.’ In my humble view, this latter function seems better suited for the Public Relations Department of the Guyana Police Force, of which SOCU is a part. The content of what he disclosed to the press, swayed him in yet another direction: the political realm. These unfortunate utterances only exacerbated an already ignoble situation,” Nandlall said at the time.
He was addressing the arrest of seven persons including former president Bharrat Jagdeo and former Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon as part of its criminal investigation of the sale of lands in the controversial ‘Pradoville 2’ housing scheme.
