Winston Jordan misconduct case: After recusal by two Magistrates, a third one has been assigned
After Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus recused themselves from hearing former Finance Minister Winston Jordan’s misconduct in public office case, a third magistrate was assigned.
When the matter came up on Thursday in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, it was revealed that Senior Magistrate Leron Daly was assigned to the case. On August 29, 2022, Jordan’s legal team will lay over submissions on the mode of trial.
Chief Magistrate on April 29 recused herself from hearing the case citing “apparent bias.” She transferred the case to Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus, who, on May 12, recused herself over the “interest of justice.”
The former Finance Minister was first arraigned on December 28, 2021, and was not required to plead to the charge. He was released on $3 million bail.
The charge alleged that while serving as Finance Minister under the APNU+AFC government and being the concerned minister for the government-owned National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), he, between February 26 and July 31, 2020, at Main Street, Georgetown, willfully misconducted himself by acting recklessly when he signed NICIL (Transfer of Property) Order, No. 50 of 2020.
The Order, which was published in the Official Gazette of Guyana, saw Jordan transferring to and vesting to BK Marine Inc. all buildings, erections, stellings, platforms, and further appurtenances, at Mudlots 1 & 2, F of Mudlot 3, A, B & D.
The cost of the property was valued at over $5 billion, but it was sold for $20,260,276. This, the court said, was grossly undervalued to such a degree as to amount to an abuse of the public’s trust and without reasonable excuse or justification.
The former Finance Minister is being represented by Senior Counsel Roysdale Force in association with Attorneys-at-Law Khemraj Ramjattan, Joseph Harmon, Darren Wade, and Dawn Cush.
