A Police Constable accused of stealing fuel from the State-owned Guyana Oil (GuyOil) company was granted $100,000 bail when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan this week.
Twenty-four-year-old Tyrese Tanner of West Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, Georgetown denied the charge when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
It is alleged that on July 5, 2022, at the GuyOil Service Station in Kitty, Georgetown, while being employed by the Government of Guyana, he stole 15 gallons of gasoline valued at $18,343.
The matter was then adjourned to March 14 for statements.
Back in 2021, a probe into a $745 million fuel racket at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) resulted in two ex-soldiers and a businessman being slapped with conspiracy charges.
It is alleged that between January 1, 2015, and June 30, 2020, at the GuyOil Terminal at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD), they conspired together with persons unknown to steal fuel valued at $745,559,430, belonging to the GDF.
Court facts disclosed that the ex-soldiers were authorised to procure fuel from GuyOil on behalf of the GDF. However, a recent audit revealed that during the five-year period, the GDF did not receive $745 million in fuel. It is alleged that they sold the fuel to the businessman.
Also, in 2017, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Office of Professional Responsibility had recommended that departmental charges be instituted against a senior Policeman after it was found that he was fueling his private vehicle from a depot inside of the Police station compound.
The incident took place sometime in 2016.
This publication understands that the depots are used to refuel vehicles owned by the Police Force or those used to carry out functions of the law enforcement agency.
