Prominent PNCR member and attorney, James Bond was arrested yesterday by the police as the probe into the award of state lands at Peters Hall on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) continues.
Bond is alleged to have been a key financial beneficiary of the deals which allegedly did not comply with the traditional terms of such land leases. Bond has declined to speak to Stabroek News on these matters.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum confirmed last evening to Stabroek News that Bond remains in custody for questioning as police continue their investigations. He also informed that the attorney was being questioned in relation to conspiracy to defraud the state.
Bond took to social media yesterday giving updates on his detention and informed that he was at one point asked to submit to a lie detector test, a claim police last night denied.
“HAPPENING NOW: I’ve been taken into police custody for questioning at CID Headquarters. I’ve been asked to take a lie detector test surrounding the allegations made against me by Mr Eddie Doolal and Mr Avalon Jagnanan. I am currently cooperating with the police,” Bond’s Facebook page announced shortly after his detention.
About two hours later, he would add, “UPDATE…I’m still in police custody and am being kept for 72 hrs, at Brickdam Police Station. I will not request bail, because I have nothing to hide. I am ready and willing to do a lie detector test to prove my innocence, but I am still to be provided with the opportunity to do so.”
The Guyana Police Force later issued a release making reference to Bond’s posts and denied that he was ever asked to take a lie detector test.
“The Guyana Police Force wishes to refer to a trending social media post purportedly posted by Attorney-at-Law James Bond indicating that he was arrested and was requested to take a lie detector test surrounding allegations made against him by Mr. Eddie Doolal and Mr. Avalon Jagnanan,” the GPF release stated.
“At this time the Guyana Police Force can confirm the following: Mr. Bond was arrested in connection with an ongoing investigation; Mr. Bond is in custody; but at no time was Mr. Bond asked to submit to a polygraph test or as described by the post, a `lie detector test’. Further, the Force has no intention to make any such request,” it added.
The Guyana Police Force and its Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) last week received three files from Attorney General Anil Nandlall for the investigation of leases for several acres of prime state lands at Peters Hall, East Bank Demerara which were done without any valuation, public advertisement or Cabinet decisions.
Bond allegedly arranged several of the land deals and benefitted from the sale of the lease rights. At the time he was also supposedly looking after the interest of NICIL which was presiding over the leasing of the lands.
A number of other persons including businessman Eddie Doolal and former acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) Colvin Heath-London have been questioned in relation to the investigation.
Recipient
Businessman Avalon Jagnandan was also detained. He has given a statement to the police, according to reliable sources, and has identified Bond as being the recipient of monies for the transfer of his lease rights to another company.
In Jagnandan’s case, the government alleges that the lease for lands held by his company, Life 1 Pharms, were transferred to Chinese national Jian Fen Yu for $100. The plots, `A17’, ‘A18’ and ‘A19,’ total 15 acres. These were assigned to Jian at the same time as businessman Eddie Doolal’s 15 acres of land on the same terms. Their $100 transfer sales were also conducted on the same day. Bond was also connected to Doolal’s deal.
Jagnandan received the lease for the Peters Hall land in early 2018. It is unclear what he had initially said he was going to do with it.
According to sources, Jagnandan signed a statement while in police custody that said Bond advis-ed him on the process of obtaining the lease and facilitated the sale of the rights.
The source said Bond, according to Jagnandan’s statement, arranged also for the sub leasee and the negotiated $117 million price tag on two of Jagnandan’s three five-acre plots. Bond’s share was reportedly $60 million. Jagnandan’s share was intended to finance a project he had planned on one of the lots but did not have the wherewithal to execute.
He received, according to the agreement, an initial payment of $7 million. Another payment then came from Jian, totaling $16,939,761 and he gave a receipt for same.
The outstanding money, according to the statement, was paid to another attorney and both Jagnandan and Bond collected.
Jagnandan told the police that he believes all transactions were above board and he never conspired with anyone against the state.
Doolal told this newspaper that the transactions for his plots can withstand scrutiny. He believes that he has been caught in the middle of a political feud.
“I, however, categorically deny being involved in any arrangement or conspiracy to defraud the state. My transaction was above board, and was sanctioned by NICIL,” he had said in a statement given to Stabroek News.
Sources say that Doolal, whose office is close to Bond’s, had been told that he could acquire the lease to the land and then flip it to make money. The agreement to flip it was reportedly drawn up by Bond and Doolal duly sold the rights to the land to the Chinese national for $100. However that agreement masked a behind-the-scenes payment of $133 million.
According to the source, fifty percent of the monies was paid at the law offices of an attorney and Bond collected. The other half was later paid and Doolal then sought to collect his cut. Doolal told the police, the source said, that he felt that the $133 million price tag was “too much” and had initially objected to the sum. He said that he had wanted capital to develop the land, build a bond and start a business, according to the source.
Both the Doolal and Jagnandan leases were lacking a standard provision barring sale of same.