The Prosecutor attached to the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) who was arrested for bribery during a Police sting operation was on Tuesday released on $150,000 bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Sherwin Crandon reportedly pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on Wednesday, May 19, 2021, in Kitty, Georgetown, he corruptly obtained 300,000 from Viveka Singh as an inducement for forbearing to prosecute and to cause the matter to be dismissed against Singh for illegal mining.
It was reported that Singh visited the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters where he revealed that in 2019, he was charged for illegal mining at Blackwater, Mahdia in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).
The gold miner revealed that Crandon informed him that he was willing to dismiss the case if he was paid $300,000.
The gold miner told investigators that the official agreed to meet with him around 16:00h on May 19, 2021, at a popular bar located at Station Street, Kitty, Georgetown, to collect the “bribe money”.
With this information, Police executed a sting operation during which Crandon, 44, of George Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, was arrested. After a search was conducted on his person, the $300,000 was found.
The officer reportedly admitted that he was prosecuting an active matter against the gold miner and admitted that he collected money from the man. However, the Prosecutor reportedly told CID ranks that he was actually borrowing the money from the miner.
Crandon will make his next court appearance on June 8, 2021.
