SOCU prosecutor questioned by police over failure to appear in rice case
Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan says special prosecutor for the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), Lawrence Harris, is being questioned by police about his failure to appear in a matter in which six former Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) officials were charged with various offences.
Speaking to Stabroek News yesterday, Ramjattan said he was informed during a national security meeting that Harris had been called in to allow him to give an explanation as to why he failed to appear in court on successive occasions and which failure ultimately resulted in the matter being dismissed.
He did not say when this questioning took place.
Thus far, neither Ramjattan, Police Commissioner Leslie James, nor Harris has been able to say why Harris was absent, despite several enquiries made of them by this newspaper. Several unconfirmed suggestions have been made, including that Harris failed to show on account of his bill not being paid.
Harris has refused to confirm or deny the suggestion.
In fact, when contacted by Stabroek News on the subject on Wednesday, Harris said “I am done with that”.
Senior Magistrate Leron Daly had dismissed several charges against the former members of the GRDB on October 17th after Harris failed to make an appearance when the matter was called.
Given Harris’ alleged absence on at least three consecutive occasions prior, counsel for the accused persons, Anil Nandlall and Glenn Hanoman, applied for the charges to be dismissed.
Those charged were: Jagnarine Singh, former GRDB General Manager; Prema Roopnarine, former Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture; Ricky Ramraj, agricultural consultant; Badrie Persaud, business consultant; Dharamkumar Seeraj, the General Secretary of the Rice Producers Association and a PPP/C MP; and Nigel Dharamlall, also a PPP/C MP.
