The Guyana Police Force’s Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) has announced that it is investigating 14 allegations of fraud against APNU+AFC Chief Scrutineer Carol Smith-Joseph over the alleged misappropriation of some $6 million from a private company, the Mahaica Abary Rice Development Scheme (MARDS) Rice Milling Complex Limited.
According to a statement issued on Friday, SOCU indicated that the crimes were allegedly perpetrated in 2016 but it only received a report from MARDS Rice Milling Complex Limited in March this year.
Smith-Joseph is said to have been a director of the company at the time.
“During the course of the investigations it was revealed that Carol Joseph as a director on the Mahaica Abary Rice Development Scheme (MARDS) board, without authority, solely approved fourteen transactions amounting to GC $6,121,108.00 without the Board’s knowledge and approval between 1st June 2016 and August 2016,” it said, while adding that these amounts were allegedly used for her personal benefits.
On completion of the investigations, SOCU said a file was prepared and sent to the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.
It added that based on legal advice from the DPP’s chambers, Smith-Joseph was invited to SOCU yesterday and faced with 14 allegations of fraudulent appropriation of property of body corporate to the total value of G$6,121,108.00 committed on MARDS Rice Milling Complex Limited.
