Georgetown: Former Head of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC) Trevor Benn was Wednesday slapped with another misconduct in public office charge when he made yet another court appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
Benn was not required to plead and was released on $100,000 bail.
He was charged in relation to the sale of two parcels of lands known as Plot A Mandela Avenue and Aubrey Barker Street, South Ruimveldt.
According to reports, the parcels of land comprising 0.710 and 0.887 acres respectively were sold to businessman Wilfred Brandford for a total sum of $13.5M.
However, a review of the transaction and similar transactions revealed that similar-sized parcels of land in the same vicinity were sold by the Government of Guyana for as much as $150 million.
Moreover, Brandford was a member of the GL&SC Board under the A Partnership for Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) administration.
Benn was previously released on $200,000 bail on misconduct in public office charges in relation to the leasing of some six acres of unmarked lands at Ogle, East Coast Demerara (ECD), for which some $27M was paid.
Benn has since maintained his innocence, calling the charge against him nonsensical.
“I have worked all my life with international organisations and in many countries around the world, and have never faced this. I don’t understand how you can bring a charge that speaks to a man helping the Government, bringing resources [and] revenues to the Government, and you’re charging him for bringing revenues to the Government. It’s a nonsensical charge,” he reiterated.
On August 7th last year, the government had announced that all public land deals made by the APNU+AFC administration from December 21st, 2018, would be reviewed. During September last year, Benn was instructed to proceed on 42 days’ vacation.
Subsequent to that, Benn was terminated from the post with effect from February 4th, 2021. He received his termination letter in November 2020, which gave him three months’ notice.
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