Georgetown: Former Minister of Housing, Irfan Ali after facing 18 charges of conspiring to defraud government of a total of GYD$174 million by selling land below their valued prices was released on
Self-bail and is expected to return to court on January 7, 2019.
Ali was arrest followed an investigation that was ongoing for two years examining the sale and transfer of state lands. Wither several lawyers at his side, Chief Magistrate Ann Mc Lennan read the charges.
Devendra Kissoon, who led a battery of five lawyers, successfully opposed the cash bail application on the grounds that Ali is a parliamentarian, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and co-chair of the bipartisan Economic Services Committee as well as Shadow Finance Minister.
He assured the court that the 38-year old Ali “intends to dutifully fulfill his duties” and “given the nature of his background” “there is no reason for him not to be released on his own recognizance”.
Ali declared his innocence to the media and thanked his colleagues in the PPP for their support.
He said the charges are without merit and he is confident of being vindicated of no wrongdoing. He said he believes the move to charge him is part of a move to silence members of the opposition, but he will not be silenced.
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