Brassington sent packing; SOCU to launch criminal investigation

Last Updated on Wednesday, 23 December 2015, 16:27 by GxMedia

The Chief Executive Officer of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) Winston Brassington is to proceed on administrative leave effective immediately, says Minister of State Joseph Harmon.

Also accompanying Brassington on leave is the Deputy CEO Marcia Sharma.

Harmon made the disclosure at a post cabinet press conference on Wednesday December 23, where he detailed that yet another audit is to be conducted for NICIL.

This audit is to be conducted by the Auditor General’s Office and is on the heels of an audit conducted by Anand Goolsaran.

According to Harmon, from what the government has seen from Goolsaran’s report there is sufficient reason for a deeper probe to be conducted.

For that probe to be carried out; Harmon stated that Brassington should be on administrative leave.

“In cabinets view there is sufficient information provide in the report to the agencies for them to explore further and basically for them to dig deeper…Cabinet is not saying who should be charged and if anybody should be charged,” he stated.

In this regard a copy of the report is being forwarded to the Commissioner of Police and the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU).

Brassington on Monday afternoon denied any wrongdoing and instead accused a forensic auditor, Goolsarran of divulging contents of the draft report without giving the company’s principal’s an opportunity to comment.

“As far as I know I have not broken any laws and if Mr. Goolsarran is suggesting it then I believe I have a clear defence on why what we did was properly done and we should not be held responsible,” he said.

Brassington said the only way the allegations could be settled was if they were taken to court and that he was willing to take the witness stand.

“I am willing to testify but you can’t bring a charge up on the basis of a law that has been clearly contradicted by all the lawyers and there is no evidence of it being broken,” he said