Ex Land Commissioner Trevor Benn released on $200k bail

Former Commissioner of the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GL&SC), Trevor Benn, was on Friday released on $200,000 bail after he was charged with the offence of misconduct in public office in relation to the illegal leasing of State lands to an engineering company for $27 million.

Benn, 53, of Century Palms Gardens, Durban Backlands, appeared before Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and was not required to plea to the charge.

It is alleged that between January 1, 2018, to March 31, 2020, at the GL&SC, he willfully misconducted himself by causing the sum of $27 million to be paid by Janico Vide Industrial Engineering Limited for the lease of six acres of land at Plantation Ogle, East Coast Demerara, knowing at the time, that the Commission did not have the authority to lease any land and, thereby, granted a Provisional Lease on March 27, 2020, to the said company without any description.

It is alleged that this amounts to wilful misconduct, resulting in a breach of the public’s trust, without any excuse or reasonable justification.

Benn is being represented by attorney-at-law Mark Waldron and the case is adjourned to March 31, 2021. The matter was transferred to Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan.