5 former senior officers arrested in $10M fraud probe at GPF

…Paul Slowe implicated, also accused of sexual assault

Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Paul Slowe, and at least one other Commission member, former Assistant Commissioner Clinton Conway, are among a group of retired senior Police officers who have been implicated by an ongoing probe in an alleged fraud that deprived the Guyana Police Force of some $10 million.
The others fingered in the fraud are former Assistant Commissioner Claude Whittaker, former Senior Superintendent Mark Gilbert, former Senior Superintendent George Fraser, and former Senior Superintendent Michael Sutton.
Guyana Times understands that the fraud was unearthed during a probe conducted by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), and five of the ex-cops were arrested on Wednesday. They were subsequently released, and are expected to be charged with conspiracy to defraud and are scheduled to be placed before the court today.
In a statement late Wednesday evening, the Police Force said that since commencement of this “massive investigation into financial irregularities,” Slowe has left the jurisdiction.
The current PSC Chairman is also facing allegations of sexual assault made by a female officer.
According to the missive from the GPF, Slow and the five other retired senior officers, along with one current Assistant Commissioner, one former female Finance Officer, and a male officer attached to the Police Finance Office, conspired together and with other persons unknown to defraud the Guyana Police Force of a sum in excess of $10 million.
It is alleged that the money was paid to revise the entire Police Force’s Standing Orders, but Slowe and the others have so far failed to present the Guyana Police Force with a completed revised Standing Order.
The raft of Guyana Police Force Standing Orders comprises of 104 Standing Orders but these were already revised at the time that the men implicated in the fraud reportedly undertook to conduct a revision.
“The entire 104 Standing Orders of the Guyana Police Force were completely revised by Civilian Police Analysts that work at the Strategic Planning Unit of the Guyana Police Force between July 2018 and March 2019. However, Slowe and others were paid to do the same revision when it was already done,” a missive from the Force detailed.
Further, it was noted that about eight of these officers, including Slowe, conspired together and gave themselves a job that clearly should have gone to the Tender Board by law, because of the quantity of money involved. Projects within public entities that are above a certain sum of money are required to pass through the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board.
In addition, the PSC Chairman and Conway – being members of the Police Service Commission, which overlooks the Police Force as the disciplinary body – cannot take contracts and enter into agreements that they are getting substantial monetary rewards for, the GPF stated.
“They reportedly draw this money knowing that this work was completed,” the missive added.
Meanwhile, with regards to the sexual assault allegations, a female Assistant Superintendent who worked along with Slowe has filed a report that alleges that she was sexually assaulted by Slowe three times during the months of March and April 2019.
These alleged sexual assaults were reported to an Assistant Commissioner, who failed to take proper action. He allegedly told the female officer “…is I have to promote you.”
According to the Police Force, the investigations into both matters are still continuing.
In addition, it was noted that Slowe is required to present himself for questioning at SOCU and at the Gender Based Unit of the Guyana Police Force for conspiracy to defraud and sexual assault respectively. (G8)