DPP discontinues criminal charges against Lawrence, Norton

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack today announced that the private criminal charges for the offence of Misconduct in Public Office, contrary to the Common Law instituted against Ministers Volda Lawrence and George Norton were discontinued.

The two government ministers were scheduled to appear before the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on April 24 and the private criminal charges were filed by former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall last week.

The DPP discontinued the charges under Article 187 (1) ( c) of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and noted that a police investigation should have been conducted before the filing of any charges.

“These charges concern a grave issue under the criminal law in relation to two serving Ministers In the interest of good governance in the State of Guyana such allegations ought first to have been reported to the Guyana Police Force for an investigation to be launched and the advice of the DPP sought,” a statement from the DPP’s Chambers revealed today.

Nandlall, a member of the Opposition People’s Progressive Party, had alleged that Lawrence was charged in relation to the controversial sole-sourcing of $605M worth of drugs from Ansa McAl in March 2017, while Dr Norton, who is a former Health Minister, was charged in connection with the Sussex Street Drug Bond scandal.