Attorney General Basil Williams on Tuesday claimed that his Ministry intends to file possible legal action in an alleged fraud case with regard to the purchase of a new vehicle to the tune of $16.5 Million.
Former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, raised the issue and inquired whether the vehicle had already been procured.
Mr. Williams explained that while a vehicle was purchased, an inspection of the vehicle when it arrived on the wharf determined that it was a used vehicle. He said Customs Officers deemed the vehicle used and it was refused.
The revelations cased an uproar in the House as MPs from both sides sat to consider the estimates of expenditure for 2016. Nandlall said the Minister was attempting to mislead the House and pressed him on the whereabouts of the $16.5 million.
“If he is saying that the state is being defrauded, let him say what has been done,” Nandlall said as he inquired from the Minister whether the police was called in. The Attorney General clarified that half of the money was already spent as of December 31, 2015.
The opposition MPs further quizzed the Minister on the remaining $8.5 million. He then informed the House that the monies were returned to the Ministry of Finance.
But the opposition was not prepared to buy that explanation and requested documentation. Williams refused the request and told the House that the Auditor General and the Public Accounts Committee will deal with the matter. Opposition MP Irfaan Ali is the Chairman of the PAC.
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