Sherwin Crandon, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) prosecutor who was held in a recent sting after allegedly collecting a $300,000 bribe to dismiss a court case, was charged today.
Crandon, 44, of George Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in a Georgetown court and was released on $150,000 bail after offering a not guilty plea.
It is alleged that on May 19th, 2021 at Seeta’s Bar, Kitty, Georgetown, Crandon, being a prosecutor employed with the GGMC, corruptly obtained $300,000 from businessman Viveka Singh as an inducement for forbearing to prosecute and to cause the matter to be dismissed against him for illegal mining.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge and the matter was adjourned until June 8th, 2021.
The court heard that the victim and the defendant are known to each other. It was stated that during the month of April, the businessman was operating on a piece of land in Mahdia when he was approached by ranks attached to the GGMC who requested to see his permit.
According to the facts, the businessman was not in possession of his permit at the time and his operation was resultantly deemed illegal and he was ordered to cease works.
The businessman was thereafter served with a summons to attend the Mahdia Magistrate’s Court on April 7th, 2021. During his attendance at the court, he was ordered to contact the prosecutor in charge of the case.
At the meeting, the businessman informed the defendant that he was not operating illegally and was in possession of his permit.
It is alleged that Crandon took advantage of Singh by telling to make a payment of $300,000 in order to get the matter dismissed.
The police had reported that Crandon was arrested after a gold miner visited the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, at Eve Leary, and alleged that Crandon demanded the bribe from him in exchange for the dismissal of a case which is being heard in court.
A sting operation was set up and Crandon was arrested.
A search was also conducted on his person and the $300,000 in cash was found on his person.
Crandon was told of the allegation and he reportedly admitted to collecting the cash from the gold miner but claimed that it wasn’t a bribe as is being claimed but rather money he wanted to borrow.
