SOCU head’s contract unlikely to be renewed
-sent on leave after ‘damning’ audit report
Head of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) Sydney James has been sent on administrative leave, Police Commissioner Leslie James confirmed yesterday and sources say that his contract, which expires soon, is unlikely to be renewed.
Based on the information gathered by Stabroek News, the SOCU head received a letter from the Commissioner last Friday instructing him to immediately proceed on administrative leave. He was at the Camp Street office when he received the letter and left shortly after. The top cop declined to say who will be performing the SOCU head’s duties during this period.
“Those kinds of disclosures will be made when the time arise, either by myself or via the PRO. A full update with SOCU will be disclosed shortly,” the Commissioner told this newspaper when contacted.
When asked how long the SOCU chief will be off the job, the Commissioner responded, “administrative leave full stop.”
Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan informed that he was aware that Sydney James was asked to go on administrative leave. “As the Commissioner informed me, he has been stood down so he should not be at the office and that is in keeping with the investigations that are being carried out right now,” he said.
The investigations are a direct result of the damning findings of an audit done in February.
Ramjattan was unable to say who will act as head of SOCU at this time but said that is an issue being actively worked upon.
Sources told Stabroek News yesterday that Sydney James’s contract expires soon and is unlikely to be renewed.
Among the more than a dozen recommendations made by the force’s Audit Department was the immediate transfer of Sydney James and his secretary. The SOCU official remained on the job until last Friday. It is unclear what has become of his secretary.
It was the Police Commissioner who initiated the audit in February following claims of grave mismanagement, including the spending of the operational fund. That audit, which covered the last three years, was completed sometime in April and the final report handed over to the top cop. On May 15th, it was sent to the police’s legal advisor, retired Justice Claudette Singh, for advice and returned to the law enforcement officials the same day.
The Commissioner has not publicly commented on the findings of the audit, despite attempts by the media to raise the matter.
Ramjattan on May 3rd had said that the “damning” findings of the police audit require the “shifting around” of persons and possibly firings. “I understand that action will be taken by the Commissioner…I saw the report and it is not a very nice report,” Ramjattan had said in response to questions from this newspaper.
While noting that the Commissioner has promised to take action, he made it clear that he cannot interfere in the matter. “Operational matters, a minister must not indulge in and that is an operational matter,” he said, while noting that the Commissioner ordered the audit after receiving information and indicated that he will take action. “He told me. I am hoping that it will be action taken very early,” he added.
He would later say that he was still awaiting an update from the Commissioner on the probe.
President David Granger has said that the unit will not be dismantled and assured that government will work to ensure public confidence in it is restored.