A former employee of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) who was accused of accepting a $1M bribe in order to not seize uncustomed alcohol beverages from the Rio Nightclub was today charged and released on $80,000 bail.
Thirty-three-year-old Siresti Bascom appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
It is alleged that on December 4, 2018 at the Rio Nightclub, Georgetown, while being an agent employed by the GRA, he corruptly obtained $1M from Paul Daby as a reward or inducement to not seize and remove uncustomed alcoholic beverages found at the nightclub, an act in relation to his principal’s affairs.
Bascom pleaded not guilty to the charge after it was read to him.
According to information, on the day in question, Bascom was given instructions to go and seize all the uncustomed alcoholic beverages from the nightclub. However, he failed to do so.
It was later reported that he collected money from Daby. Hence, the matter was reported and, following an investigation, Bascom was charged.
With no objections raised by Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh, the magistrate released Bascom on $80,000 bail. The father of three is expected to make his next court appearance on September 20.
