A Director of Atlantic Fuels was yesterday granted bail after being charged with falsifying an invoice for $40 million and declaring it to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).
The company’s Director, Eugene Gilbert, 67, pleaded not guilty to the charge after it was read to him by Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Courts.
The charge stated that on November 12, 2020, at GRA’s Camp Street, Georgetown headquarters, Atlantic Fuels caused to be made and subscribed to a false declaration on invoice number 100, contrary to the Customs Act. The invoice amount was US$200,000, which is equivalent to $40,000,000.
The charge was instituted under Section 217 (1) (a) of the Customs Act, which reads: “Any person who, in any matter relating to the customs, or under the control or management of the Comptroller – (a) makes and subscribes, or causes to be made and subscribed, any false declaration; or…” On summary conviction, the person is liable to a fine of $25,000, together with imprisonment for three years.
Gilbert is expected to return to court on February 21, 2021. The company is represented by attorney-at-law Siand Dhurjon. Gilbert was summoned to attend court in December 2020, after Commissioner-General of the GRA Godfrey Statia filed a complaint against the company at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
