Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cevons Waste Management, Morse Archer was yesterday summoned by the police for questioning in relation to the purchase of a portion of land at Mandela Avenue from the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC).
Stabroek News was reliably informed that Archer was contacted and asked to be present at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Eve Leary at 1pm yesterday.
He complied and was there for about 40 minutes. Archer was accompanied by his lawyer, Neil Boston.
Speaking to Stabroek News yesterday, Archer said that upon his arrival, he was asked to provide a statement on the land transaction but he refused to.
“Basically to summarize, it’s really a statement they (police) want regarding the land we bought,” Archer said.
As a result, Archer said he was asked to return to CID Headquarters today with a written statement.
Up to late yesterday afternoon, he said he was still considering whether he would provide the statement. “So we are basically contemplating whether we should,” Archer added.
While present, Archer said that he was told by the police that he is not a suspect. “Well they said I am not a suspect,” he noted.
In February, Attorney General Anil Nandlall had sent a letter to Archer indicating that the land purchased was the property of the National Sports Commission (NSC). As such, he had directed that it must be vacated by March 31.
“If you fail to do so legal proceedings will be filed against your company and its sub-lessees and this matter will be reported to the Criminal Investigation Department of the Guyana Police Force with a request to investigate and proffer all criminal charges arising out of this transaction,” a letter from Nandlall informed Archer.
In the letter which was seen by Stabroek News, the AG had informed Archer that the 50-year lease signed between his company and the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) on December 18,2018 is “unlawful, null, void and of no legal effect.”
However, Nandlall had subsequently suggested that there might be a chance for Cevons Waste Management to retain ownership of the land.
“The matter is being investigated and is being reviewed with a view of seeing how best the situation can be resolved…once we decide on the way forward we will have to regularize the situation,” Nandlall had told reporters on the sidelines of the Budget Debate on February 22nd.
On August 7th last year, the government had announced that all public land deals made by the APNU+AFC administration from December 21st, 2018, would be reviewed.
Last Wednesday, Benn was arrested by the police in relation to the leasing of six acres of land at Ogle, East Coast Demerara to Janico Vide Engineering Limited.
Benn is accused of defrauding the state by inducing persons by false pretence, knowing that the land is owned by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL).
On Friday, he was charged with misconduct in public office and placed on $200,000 bail. The matter was adjourned until March 31st.
On Wednesday, Benn was further questioned in relation to two other land transactions. He is also being accused of receiving $100M for a portion of land on Mandela Avenue and selling a portion of land on Aubrey Barker Road.
