Brassington, Singh fraud case… Magistrate adjourns hearing to receive High Court ruling

Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan yesterday adjourned the hearing for the proceedings against former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, and former Head of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Winston Brassington.

The adjournment was granted as the lower court awaits the ruling of the High Court from Chief Justice, Roxanne George. The defence lawyers had approached the High Court making a substantive challenge over the validity of the charges.
The defendants were absent at yesterday’s hearing and the court was told that this was as a result of the stay that was granted in the matter by Justice Franklyn Holder.

After the Special Prosecutor, Patrice Henry, briefed the magistrate on the High Court proceedings the matter was adjourned to March 6, 2020.
Singh and Brassington are facing a trial in the Magistrates’ Court for alleged Misconduct in Public Office.
Following its investigations into Pradoville Two, the Special Organised Crime Unit, (SOCU), moved to institute charges against the former public officials.

According to the first charge, Dr. Singh as Minister of Finance, and Brassington as the Chief Executive of NICIL on May 14, 2011 at Lot 126 Barrack Street, Kingston, Georgetown, sold a tract of land being a portion 10.002 acres of Plantation Turkeyen, East Coast of Demerara, property of the State of Guyana for the sum of $185,037,000, without first having procured a valuation of the said property from a competent valuation officer.

Another charge stated that Dr. Singh and Brassington on December 30, 2008 at Lot 126 Barrack Street, Kingston, Georgetown, by way of Agreement of Sale and Purchase without due diligence, sold to Scady Business Corporation, a 4.7 acres tract portion of Plantation Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, for $150M knowing that the said property was valued at $340M by Rodrigues Architects Associate, a competent valuation officer.
Furthermore, it was alleged that Dr. Ashni Singh and Brassington on December 28, 2009 at 126 Barrack Street, Kingston, Georgetown, by way of Agreement of Sale and Purchase, acted recklessly when they sold to National Hardware Guyana Limited, a tract of land at Plantation Liliendaal, Pattensen and Turkeyen, situated on the East Coast of Demerara, being 103 acres, being property of the State of Guyana for the sum of $598,659,398 (VAT exclusive) without first having procured a valuation of the said property from a competent valuation officer.

Finally, it is alleged that Dr. Ashni Singh and Brassington, between October 26, 2010 and December 20, 2010 at Lot 126 Barrack Street, Kingston, Georgetown, by way of Agreement of Sale and Purchase, acted recklessly when they sold to Queens Atlantic Investment Inc, Sanata Textiles Complex, with building and erections thereon, that is to say, Parcel 4702, Part of Plantation Ruimveldt, situated on the East Bank Demerara, being 18.871 acres, at $697,864,800.00 plus VAT, knowing that the said property was valued at the sum of $1,042,403,500.00, and was therefore being sold at a price that was grossly undervalued, thereby creating a breach of their duties.
The men were each placed on bail on $6 million and the matter was fixed for June 5, 2018, for continuation. Singh and Brassington have since left the country.

Brassington was at the helm at NICIL when the controversial Pradoville 2 Scheme was conceptualised.
There were whispers among Government officials that the former head has a lot to answer for in relation to the Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara housing scheme.
The contention was and still is that the lands sold to former Government Ministers and close friends of the PPP/C administration were seriously undervalued. Ashni Singh was the Minister of Finance at the infancy stage of the project and is believed to be a recipient of one of those plots overlooking the sea.

NICIL reportedly paid over $100M to take down the tower and build the new transmitting facility and charged the expense to the National Communication Network (NCN).