Omar Shariff granted permission by Court to complete studies abroad

Omar Shariff, former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Presidency, who was in 2017 charged for non-compliance of a production order issued by the High Court, was on Tuesday placed on G$1 million surety by Magistrate Fabayo Azore, which enabled him to retrieve his travel documents in order that he could complete his law studies at the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago.
Shariff’s attorney, Sanjeev Datadin, in a bail application, told the court of his client’s willingness to lodge his passport and other travel documents after completion of studies overseas.
Shariff was, however, ordered to lodge his passport at the court when he returns to Guyana. The case has been adjourned to September 17, 2018.
Recap
Shariff, who allegedly had amassed some G$20 billion in business funds between 2005 and 2015, was arrested in July 2016 in connection with allegations relating to one of the largest money laundering and tax evasion schemes in the history of Guyana.
Shariff was sent on annual leave on July 1, 2016 by Minister of State Joseph Harmon following investigations launched by SOCU, and his services were terminated with effect from December 31, 2016.
The court had, in 2016, issued an order which required Shariff to provide certain documents to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), but he had violated that order.
He was released on self-bail after pleading not guilty to the charge. A condition attached to his being placed on bail required him to report to SOCU every other Monday.