Bank manager still on the run – Police

1M fraud

The bank manager of a local commercial bank who was implicated in the $941 million fraud is still been sought by members of the Major Crime Unit within the Criminal Investigation’s Department of the Guyana Defence Force.
The woman, who affected payments of cheques to the tune of $941 million in the name of Saddiqi Rasul of SSS Mineral Inc has not been seen or heard from since she was dismissed with immediate effect from the financial institution.
When contacted, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told  Guyana Times that checks were made for the bank manager but Police ranks were unsuccessful in apprehending her.

Alleged fraudster Saddiqi Rasul

He nevertheless stated that the Police will continue to make efforts to arrest her since she plays a major part in the ongoing investigations. However, the Police also conducted several searches at several other premises of the fraudster but did not find any of the money.
The Crime Chief further noted that the Police are making efforts to contact a number of individuals as they continue their investigations into the probe. At this point, he noted that based on the sensitivity of the matter, no further information will be divulged.
In the meantime, Rasul remains in Police custody and has chosen only to speak when his lawyer is present.
He was accused of robbing and conning several of his colleagues of hundreds of millions of dollars over the period of several years.
Rasul now has hanging over his head several pending lawsuits from businesses and gold dealers whom he had conned over the years. A few years ago, Rasul allegedly collected close to $200 million from miners and gold dealers to purchase gold, but instead converted the money to his own use.
Rasul and his cousin had allegedly robbed Mohamed’s Enterprise of close to $1 billion during a gold trading (purchasing and selling) operation.
Meanwhile, following the revelation that Rasul had defrauded the local bank of $941 million, the Police were called in to investigate. Hours later, the fraudster turned himself in at the CID Headquarters in the company of his lawyer.
It was reported that the fraud was pulled off at the local bank’s office at Bartica.
Based on reports received, Rasul, a gold dealer of Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), deposited $941 million in cheques into his bank account at the bank that is presently under investigation.
The cheques were, however, from another local bank, but the staff of the bank at which the cheques were deposited went ahead and effected payment without the cheques being cleared. Guyana Times was told that managers of the two banks had colluded with Rasul to withdraw millions of dollars.
It is believed that after the manager of one of the banks realised that Rasul had used up the money for his personal use and could not repay, he closed the account.
Rasul, however, was not aware that his account was closed, and with a few remaining cheques on his hand, he went to another bank to cash them. It was during this process that bank officials realised that the cheques bounced.