A sting operation by the Police Force on Wednesday led to the arrest of 44-year-old Sherwin Crandon, the prosecutor of Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), in connection with taking a $300,000 bribe from a gold miner, who was charged with illegal mining.
Police Headquarters in a statement noted that on Wednesday, a gold miner visited the CID Headquarters at Eve Leary, Georgetown and reported that in 2019, he was charged by the GGMC for illegal mining at Blackwater, Mahdia.
He claimed that on Wednesday, the prosecutor called him and told him he is willing to dismiss the case if he pays him $300,000 cash, and if he did not comply, then he will be convicted for the offence.
The gold miner said the Prosecutor arranged to meet him at a popular bar in Station Street, Kitty, Georgetown on Wednesday at 16:00hrs. As a result, a sting operation was executed.
On the said date at 16:30 hrs, a party of policemen arrested Crandon, of George Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown. A search was conducted on his person and the $300,000 in dimensions of $5,000 was found in his pants pocket. He was then told of the allegation, arrested and placed into custody.
The suspect admitted that he is a Prosecutor at GGMC and he was prosecuting an active matter against the gold miner at the Mahdia Magistrate’s court, which was being tried at the Diamond Magistrate’s Court.
“He admitted that he indeed collected the money from the gold miner, but claimed that he wanted to ‘borrow’ same,” the Police report noted.
The money was photographed in the presence of the suspect and then lodged at CID Headquarters. The suspect was escorted to the Brickdam Police Station and placed into custody.
