Police Commissioner Leslie James on Monday said that a copy of the report from the audit of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) should be on his desk later this week.
James had ordered the audit more than a month ago following reports of grave mismanagement, which included misuse of the funds set aside for the running of the office.
The Guyana Police Force’s Audit Department is conducting the audit and would have looked at documents related to purchases made and taken statements from SOCU head Assistant Commissioner Sydney James and other staff members as part of its work.
Commissioner James, who addressed questions from the media following an event on Monday morning, said the SOCU head remains on the job. He declined to say when his contract expires. “I would not go into that. It’s a contractual arrangement. When the time comes for it to be completed, it is so completed,” he said.
It was sacked British advisor Dr Sam Sittlington who made public alleged incidents of grave mismanagement that were taking place, particularly as it relates to the spending of operational funds, and the arrangement for the storage of seized cash.
Sittlington had told this newspaper that tensions arose between him and Sydney James, a former army intelligence officer, when he began to question the spending of funds set aside for the operation of SOCU and requested “certain information” late last year. Sydney James was appointed by then president Donald Ramotar in September, 2014. Since SOCU’s establishment an audit was never done.
Sittlington said that from his observations, items such as printers, ink, paper and toiletries, which are essential to the smooth functioning of the office and the comfort of those who work there, were not available. Additionally, he said, investigators were not being given mobile phone credit and there was no internet available.
He said he managed to procure a printer for the office but added that for three months, there was no ink before he eventually managed to get the required funds from the British High Commission to purchase it.
SOCU officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, had also told this newspaper that in violation of anti-money laundering laws, seized cash is being kept at the unit and in some cases at the Guyana Police Force’s Finance Department. It was explained that the money ought to be in an interest bearing account. The staff said concerns over the state of affairs were raised on numerous occasions but nothing was done.
Sittlington said late last year he raised the issue with a senior police officer, who promised to take action, but nothing was done.
