Policeman on $1.3M bail for driver licence fraud

Former Police Sergeant Alfred Park of Lot 1129 Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara was on Monday arraigned before Senior Magistrate Judy Latchman on 12 counts of fraud relative to the theoretical learner driver’s examination conducted by the Guyana Police Force.

Accused: Police Sergeant Alfred Park

The court heard that on April 12, 2018, while he was the sergeant-in-charge at the Felix Austin Police College, Georgetown, with intent to defraud the public, the 50-year-old Park conspired with others to forge 13 examination scripts for persons who did not write the learner driver’s examinations.
The prosecution did not object to Park being placed on bail, thus he was placed on $1.3 million bail after an application had been made by his attorney, Patrice Henry.
The matter will continue of August 27.
Two members of the Guyana Police Force were recently slapped with a total of 38 counts of fraud relative to the same theoretical learner driver’s examination.
Police Corporal Shanice Fraser, 31, and Police Corporal Ryan Grey, 25, were accused of working together to commit the offence by forging a total of 38 examination papers for persons who allegedly paid to acquire a driver’s licence.
According to the Prosecution’s case, Grey is alleged to have forged 20 of the examination papers, while Fraser, the Traffic Chief’s Confidential Secretary, is suspected of forging 18 of the papers.
Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield did not object to either accused being placed on bail, but requested that conditions be attached. The two were ordered to report to the officer in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters every Friday until the conclusion of their matter.
Fraser was granted bail in the sum of $150,000 while Grey was released on $160,000 bail.
On April 18 last, major irregularities surfaced in regard to the driver’s licence theoretical examination. Some 174 persons were registered to write the examination, but only 106 persons presented themselves to write same; yet, 207 scripts were submitted at the conclusion of the examination, with 155 completed.
The GPF had said that since members of the Cops and Faith Community Network became involved in the invigilation of the learner driver’s theoretical examination, there have been reports of a significant reduction in the opportunities for corruption, complaints, and allegations, thus this voluntary involvement will continue.
Meanwhile, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) recently discovered that some unscrupulous members of its staff were working in collusion with members of the public to issue forged drivers’ licences, certificates of compliance, and registrations.
While announcing that details surrounding this development would not yet be divulged, the GRA has announced that an investigation has been launched.
The GRA has also revealed that those individuals who were part of the illegal operations have been sent on leave.
Several other Police ranks were questioned in relation to the matters involving the Police.