Orisvaldo De Oliveira Moura and Sabastiao De Oliveira Moura, both Brazilian nationals, were yesterday charged by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) with the offence of failure to keep and produce a book to an officer of the gold board.
The police said in a release that Orisvaldo De Oliveira Moura appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court #11 before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh, where the charge was read to him, and he pleaded not guilty. He was placed on $100,000 bail. The matter was transferred to Port Kaituma Magistrate’s Court for report on 2024-08-15.
Sabastiao De Oliveira Moura appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court #1 before Magistrate Faith Mc Gusty and pleaded not guilty to the charge. He was placed on $ 50,000 bail and the matter was adjourned to 16th August, 2024.
According to the Head of SOCU, Assistant Commissioner Fazal Karimbaksh, the defendants are brothers, and they are operating under a registered business.
They have three locations: one in Georgetown, one in Eyelash Backdam and one in Port Kaituma Water Front, North West District, Region One. Reports indicate that all these locations were buying precious stones without maintaining the requisite records.
As a result, ranks from SOCU, in collaboration with officials of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, conducted searches on the business premises and discovered a large quantity of gold and cash.
The defendants could not produce the relevant documents to prove their purchases, the release said. They were arrested, and the police took possession of all the items. Further investigations were done, and the defendants were charged.
