Former government minister and now presidential candidate of the main opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Irfaan Ali, Monday said he intends to appeal a High Court ruling last weekend that denied him a stay of proceedings at the magistrate’s court in a multi-million dollar land sale case.
Justice Dawn Gregory had last Friday dismissed the matter and Ali as he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, gave notice of the appeal.
Ali was arrested and slapped with 19 charges in November last year by the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU), an arm of the Guyana Police Force.
The former minister is accused of defrauding government of over GUY$174 million (One Guyana dollar=US$0.004 cents) by selling several plots of state lands, below the market value, to former ministers of the then PPP government.
According to the charges, Ali, between the period 2011 and 2015, conspired with persons unknown to defraud the government, when he acted recklessly by selling 19 plots of state lands at Plantations Sparendaam and Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara.
The prosecution contends that the lands which were sold for GUY$39.8 million, have been valued at GUY$212.4 million.
SOCU had laid the charges after months of investigation into the sale of the lands to former government ministers.
Ali has always denied the charges. He did not offer any comment to the media as he left the courthouse in the company of his attorneys
In his application to the High Court, Ali had asked for an order of Certiorari quashing the decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to charge him with the offence of conspiracy to defraud contrary to common law, on the basis that it was irrational, biased, and influenced by improper considerations and motives.
He also wants an order of Certiorari quashing the information of oath of Munilall Persaud, Corporal of Police at SOCU, on the 19 charges.
Further, Ali wants a declaration that the particulars of the charges do not constitute an offence known to law, and that there is no statutory or common law duty to obtain a valuation prior to the sale of the property. Ali is asking the court to issue a declaration that the charges are vague and constitute an abuse of process.
