SOCU needs more fraud and financial investigators- Ramjattan

The Public Security Minister believes the time has come for the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) to increase its capacity with more fraud and financial investigators, in light of a large number of forensic audits being carried out.

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan told media operatives on Wednesday (April 5, 2017) that while he is satisfied with the work being done by SOCU, however, “there can be room for more satisfaction. I think they need lots more fraud investigators and financial investigators. We are in the process of getting a couple more but with quality policemen there, but it is not easy in any event the amount of work that was given to them.”

Ramjattan is of the view that the forensic audits may be something that is overwhelming for the Unit.

When questioned as to when persons being investigated by the Unit would end up before the Court, the Public Security Minister assured the local press that the cases being investigated are at the desk of the legal advisors.

“It is for the legal advisors and the DPP (Director of Public Prosecution) to take it from there. If the DPP or the legal advisors ask for further statements to be taken well that probably have to be done. But as far as I am aware a number of are on the desk of the legal advisors,” Ramjattan said.

The Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) is an entity of the Guyana Police Force.

SOCU was established in 2014 on the recommendation of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF). It was intended to be a police unit operating with a close relationship with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) established under the Anti-Money laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act, Chapter 10:11 of the Laws of Guyana.

The Unit’s main mandate is to investigate suspected money laundering crimes and to prosecute persons suspected of terrorism and financial offences.