The Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) has only managed to file criminal charges based on five of the approximately 25 forensic audits referred to it since 2015, which is being blamed on insufficient manpower.
This newspaper was informed that SOCU has had to stretch its resources to deal with the unit’s regular workload of money laundering and other types of criminal investigations.
Based on Sunday Stabroek’s records, charges have been filed after audits related to the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (New GMC), the Sparendaam Housing Project (Pradoville 2), the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) and the Commonwealth Law Reports. The New GMC and GRDB matters ended in dismissals in October, 2017 and October, 2018, respectively.