Westford, ministry employee on $2M bail over attempted larceny, forgery charges
Former Public Service Minister Dr Jennifer Westford and that ministry’s chief personnel officer Margaret Cummings were yesterday granted bail in a combined total of $2 million after being slapped with several counts of forgery and attempted larceny at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Both women pleaded not guilty after the prosecutor requested that the case be handled summarily and the court and the defendants had no objection to this.
Westford was read four charges of attempting to commit larceny, while Cummings’s charges were four counts of forgery. Both women took turns standing silently in the prisoner’s dock as Magistrate Ann McLennan read the charges to them before a courtroom occupied mainly by reporters and curious members of the public.
The charges against Westford alleged that between July 17, 2014 and June 23, 2015, while being employed as a public servant by the Government of Guyana, she attempted to transfer several government owned vehicles to herself and others. These persons included her husband Gary Beaton as well as Wayne Walker and Delroy Lewis.
Meanwhile, Cummings, who was said to be on administrative leave since the incident came to light, was charged with forging several receipts to show that the vehicles were purchased by Beaton, Walker, Lewis and Westford. Cummings allegedly committed the unlawful acts between July 18, 2014 and April 15, 2015.
Both women pleaded not guilty.
Representing the duo were attorneys Bibi Shadick, Keisha Chase, Dexter Todd and Eusi Anderson.
Chase made an application for Westford to be granted bail in a reasonable sum or if possible to be released on self-bail. She stated that her client is a medical doctor who served as a minister under the previous People’s Progressive Party/ Civic government for a period of 14 years. Additionally, Chase related that this is the first time Westford has been charged with anything and that she is not a flight risk.
Todd made an application for Cummings to be granted bail in a reasonable sum, citing that his client has been co-operating with investigators from the initial stages of the investigations and will attend all her court hearings.
Police prosecutor Deniro Jones offered no objection to bail for either woman and Magistrate McLennan granted Westford $200,000 bail on each of her four charges, while Cummings was granted $300,000 bail on each of hers. The matters were subsequently transferred to Court 5 for August 10, where Magistrate Fabayo Azore will preside.
The lawyers representing the duo then stood in the courtroom making loud enquiries from Cummings as to whether she would be able to post bail, while the magistrate moved on to her other cases. Accompanied by Cummings, they finally made their way downstairs where they stayed for almost two hours before they were able to post bail.
These charges came one day after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) recommended that Westford be charged over her alleged attempt to transfer a government vehicle into her name.
Sources had previously confirmed that the file was returned to the Guyana Police Force on Tuesday afternoon with this recommendation. Charges were also recommended against Cummings who had allegedly signed a key document.
Police had sent the file to the DPP and it was returned to them on July 7 with certain instructions. It was returned one day later by the police. All of the vehicles which are at the centre of the charges have since been returned to the government.
Investigations began after Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority Khurshid Sattaur wrote to Permanent Secretary of the Public Service Ministry Hydar Ally on June 10, 2015 asking that he reissue a letter, dated April 14, 2015, requesting the transfer of registration for eight vehicles into the names of Westford, Walker, Lewis, Beaton and Osbert McPherson.
A change of registration for two vehicles for Walker was sought, one for Lewis, one for Westford, three for Beaton and one for Mc Pherson. The letter was allegedly signed by Cummings for Ally.