Former Ministry of Health staff member, Terrence Williams, has been committed to stand a High Court trial for money laundering over a suspected fraud involving more than #340 Million in drugs and COVID-19 testing kits.

The Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) is prosecuting the matter.

SOCU had conducted a money laundering investigation after a special audit was done at the Ministry of Health’s drug bond, and the millions in drugs and testing kits could not be located.

The Audit Office was called in and conducted a special audit covering the period 1^st January 2021 to November 2022 where it was discovered that $343.8 million in drugs and testing kits were missing from the Ministry of Health Management Unit Bond at Diamond, East Bank Demerara.

Williams was charged with Money Laundering on the allegations that he acquired, possessed or controlled cash amounting to approximately $7.4 million together with foreign currency, knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that the said cash represented, in whole or in part, the proceeds of crime.

On Monday, Magistrate Wanda Fortune committed Williams to stand trial in the High Court in relation to a charge instituted under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act.

The charge alleges Terrence Williams and others were Store Attendants employed by the Ministry of situated who had unhindered access to pharmaceutical and testing kits stored at the bond and between January 2021 and November 2022, and that they stole a quantity of pharmaceutical and testing kits from the bond which they sold and used the proceeds to enrich themselves.

Police had found four million five hundred and eighty thousand dollars ($ 4,580,000), Guyana currency and five thousand seven hundred and sixty dollars ($ 5,760) US currency along with a 380 pistol, and thirty-one rounds of .380 ammunition, two rounds of 9 mm ammunition in Williams’ possession. He was later arrested and the firearm, ammunition and cash were lodged as investigations continued.

Williams was represented by Attorney-at-Law Eden Corbin.

SOCU was represented by Attorneys Darin Chan and David Braithwaite, and Police Prosecutor DSP Neville Jeffers.

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