Police Finance Officer granted bail on fraud charges

Police Finance Officer, Woman Senior Superintendent (ag) Marcelene Washington of Lamaha Springs, Georgetown, was on Friday released on $250,000 bail after she appeared in court on three fraud charges over falsifying bills for food.
She was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
She is jointly charged along with Deputy Assistant Superintendent of Police Frank Jackman-Wilburg, Superintendent Lorraine Saul, and Assistant Superintendent Roxanne Griffith-Adams.
The first charge alleged that Saul, Washington, and Griffith-Adams between November 2, 2020, and November 24, 2020, with intent to defraud, conspired with each other and other persons to falsify a feeding account for $1,152,000 for meals purportedly provided by the Tactical Service Unit Mess to officers and inspectors who performed fixed-point duty at the Tactical Service Unit between the period October 16 and 31, 2020.
It was also alleged that with intent to defraud Saul, Washington and Jackman-Wilburg conspired with each other and other persons, to falsify a feeding account for $1,440,000 for meals purportedly provided by the Felix Austin Police College Mess to ranks who performed fixed-point duty at the Suicide Helpline between the period October 16 and 31, 2020.
The last charge stated that Saul, Washington, and Jackman-Wilburg, with intent to defraud, conspired with each other and other persons, to falsify a feeding account for $2,246,400 for meals purportedly provided by the Felix Austin Police College Mess to ranks who performed fixed-point duty at the Mounted Branch between October 16 and 31, 2020.
Washington, who was represented by Attorney-at-Law Patrice Henry, was not required to plead to the indictable charges. All matters were adjourned to June 16. These charges were initially filed on April 21, but Washington was out of the jurisdiction and only returned recently to answer them.
The charges stemmed from a massive investigation being conducted by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) into a $300 million fraud allegedly committed at the Police Finance Office by several high-ranking officers of the Guyana Police Force.