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June 30, 2016 Source

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Presidency (MOTP), Omar Shariff has been sent on leave by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, a release from MOTP said today.

In a letter dated June 30, 2016 to Shariff, Minister Harmon wrote, β€œYou will recall having informed me that you are now the subject of an investigation by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) of the Guyana Police Force”.

The Minister, therefore, informed Shariff in that letter that he should proceed on his Annual Leave from July 1, 2016 to enable him to fully cooperate with the investigation.  Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communities, Abena Moore will take up the role of Acting Permanent Secretary at MOTP.

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Frankly, after the government changed, APNU+AFC should not have retained Omar Shariff in the first place. Shariff was #77 on the PPP List of Candidates in last year's elections. Shariff campaigned aggressively against APNU+AFC and was still allowed to keep his job at no less a place than the Office of the President, occupying a sensitive position. Bewildering!!!!

FM
Last edited by Former Member

Travis Chase

5 hrs Β·
 

BREAKING NEWS- HGP NIGHTLY NEWS- Permanent secretary of the Ministry of the Presidency Omar Shariff was moments ago arrested by ranks of the special organised crime unit ( SOCU) in connection with what could very well be the biggest money laundering and tax evasion case to hit Guyana.

The Permanent secretary who is said to be the owner of 5 ' lucrative' businesses in Guyana and who was recently debarred from banking at a city bank since he couldn't explain his source of income is also featuring in the more than $600 million fraud that was uncovered at the former Ministry of Public Service, following the change in government earlier this year.

MORE TONIGHT ON THE HGP NIGHTLY NEWS AT 8.

FM
Nehru posted:
Django posted:
Nehru posted:

HAHAHA  Cleansing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is serious Bhai,looks like this is huge for the cleansing umbrella.

If the evidence is there Jail his ass. No one MUST steal  Taxpayers money, commit crimes against the state!!!!  And I mean no one!!!!!!

Bhai,when individuals in public office or any one, excessive wealth does not match up with their income,the red flag is noticeable.

In third world countries most of them are not prosecuted.

Django
Prashad posted:

Anti-koolie racist hate will do anything to paint the koolie as a dishonest inferior subhuman out to rob the other races of Guyana. We cannot undo over 100 years of racist indoctrination. The only solution is getting our own country.

I hope you won't embrace the likes of Omar Shariff in your own country, Prash. He will attack your Treasury like an ole higue or soucouyant.

FM
Prashad posted:

Anti-koolie racist hate will do anything to paint the koolie as a dishonest inferior subhuman out to rob the other races of Guyana. We cannot undo over 100 years of racist indoctrination. The only solution is getting our own country.

If the man is holding that large amount of money locally then he is holding it for the PPP big boys and that will come out as he cut a deal to save his behind.

I do not believe the 100 billion G claim. That is too big of a scam for Guyana coming from one ministry. And with that much loot it is really stupid it was not moved to Bahrain or somewhere similar. I doubt that much was available to steal unless the government itself was in the drug business or gold scam business.

But I may be wrong. These could be truly barefaced crooks

FM
Last edited by Former Member

It is being reported as G$10 Billion by other new sources.

http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....f-million-last-year/

Money laundering investigations…. Local bank blocked deposits of hundreds of million$ last year


 
Under investigations: PS Omar Shariff

Under investigations: PS Omar Shariff

More details are emerging in the current investigations involving the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Presidency, Omar Shariff, who was arrested on Thursday at his office.
Investigators trying to piece together the case have found several hundreds of millions in accounts that were in control of Omar Shariff and a female close to him.
Somehow, over the years, especially between the period 2009 and 2016, more than $10B (US$50M) were deposited in accounts at several city banks held in control of Shariff and the woman, said to be his reputed wife.
The Permanent Secretary and the woman are being investigated for tax evasion and money laundering.
From initial indications, it was an elaborate scheme with accounts scattered at several city banks. There were large deposits with money withdrawn as fast as it was transacted.
Where the money came from in the first place and where the withdrawals went afterwards is what investigators from the State Assets Recovery Unit and the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) want to know.
Shariff reportedly claimed that monies were proceeds from the sale of phone cards and other credit to mobile phones but investigators are not buying his story.
There is little evidence that taxes were paid also.
The case is generating raised eyebrows as Shariff as Permanent Secretary, was responsible for the day-to-day running of the Ministry of the Presidency.
The Ministry was once known as the Office of the President (OP) and handles billions of dollars annually from several programmes.
Shariff was appointed Permanent Secretary at OP shortly after former President Donald Ramotar was sworn in back in 2011.
The David Granger administration kept him after winning the May 2015 General Elections.
Kaieteur News was told that contrary to initial reports, commercial banks did little in spite of questionable transactions. At least one local bank blocked Shariff last year after he made attempts to deposit several hundred million dollars into accounts, shortly after the May General Elections. The sum amounted to almost half billion dollars.
It was around that time that investigators of both SARU and SOCU got together with officials of Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to start investigating Shariff. They zeroed in on his bank accounts and assets.
They were able to find around $600M in some accounts.
What made the investigators more interested in Shariff was another investigation into disappearance of almost $600M from OP and allegedly paid to the Ministry of Public Service, headed by then Minister, Dr. Jennifer Westford. Investigators were unable to find the money.
Shariff, said to be 43, was arrested by SOCU and SARU ranks Thursday at his office at the Ministry of the President. He was later released on $200,000 bail after taking a lawyer, Attorney-at-Law, Sanjeev Datadin.
He has since been sent on his annual leave by the Ministry pending the investigations.
The case of the Permanent Secretary is one of the biggest tackling possible corruption since the new administration took office last year.
Several forensic audits were ordered to be conducted last year into state agencies. Numerous red flags were raised and irregularities found.
A number of the cases are currently being investigated by SOCU, SARU and the police.
In addition to Shariff, officials have disclosed that a number of other persons are being investigated and are expected to be charged soon.

Mars
Gilbakka posted:
Prashad posted:

Anti-koolie racist hate will do anything to paint the koolie as a dishonest inferior subhuman out to rob the other races of Guyana. We cannot undo over 100 years of racist indoctrination. The only solution is getting our own country.

I hope you won't embrace the likes of Omar Shariff in your own country, Prash. He will attack your Treasury like an ole higue or soucouyant.

Nice one Mr. Gillbaka. With so much money involved did it ever occur to you that this may be a case of thief thiefing and the putting the blame on the original thief. So the original thief left holding the bag in jail.

Prashad
Prashad posted:
Gilbakka posted:
Prashad posted:

Anti-koolie racist hate will do anything to paint the koolie as a dishonest inferior subhuman out to rob the other races of Guyana. We cannot undo over 100 years of racist indoctrination. The only solution is getting our own country.

I hope you won't embrace the likes of Omar Shariff in your own country, Prash. He will attack your Treasury like an ole higue or soucouyant.

Nice one Mr. Gillbaka. With so much money involved did it ever occur to you that this may be a case of thief thiefing and the putting the blame on the original thief. So the original thief left holding the bag in jail.

I get your point. Let's wait for details from the police and the law court if he is charged.

FM
Prashad posted:

That is a stereo type. Look at how much development India achieve under the Mughal rule it was one of the richest countries in the world.

Yuh know how much they demanded from the Hindus in taxes when they arrived. Clive the Englishman stunned when he observed how much money dey were milking the ryots. He decided there and then, India was worth the fight. And he did dispose of many of the stranglehold which he took over himself. Eventually becoming a very wealthy man.

S

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