Public Security Minister likely to appear before Commission of Inquiry on Granger’s assassination plot

Last Updated on Wednesday, 2 August 2017, 18:45 by Denis Chabrol

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan is likely to appear before the Commission of Inquiry into the effectiveness of the Guyana Police Force in investigating an alleged plot to assassinate President David Granger.

Attorney-at-Law, Christopher Ram on Wednesday told Commissioner of the Inquiry, Retired Assistant Commissioner Paul Slowe that he would like Ramjattan to be summoned to the probe set up by the President.

After Ram indicated that he would be willing to provide reasons for wanting the Vice President to testify, Slowe said they would discuss the request and he reiterated that the inquiry provides for evidence to be taken away from the glare of the public and the media. “We’ll have a discussion. As I said, not everything is done in public. Certain aspects of the inquiry are done outside of the public and out of an abundance of caution on this side, maybe I would say to you let’s have a discussion,” Slowe told Ram.

Ram indicated that he wants the Public Security Minister to testify because he had participated in an interview with the media that was replayed earlier this week at a Commission hearing. Police Commissioner, Seelall Persaud had also participated in that interview.

Meanwhile, Slowe again expressed grave concern that the Guyana Police Force has not handed over all the documents and related material to the Commission. The Inquiry Commissioner made the comment after Attorney-at-Law for the Guyana Police Force, Ian Chang presented a statement by a woman to Detective Laundry who was recalled Wednesday to give further testimony.

The Commission of Inquiry has been ordered by the President to determine how effective the Guyana Police Force had probed the allegation by East Bank Demerara businessman, Andriff Guillard against another businessman at the village of Diamond, Nizam Khan.

Based on confrontations between Guillard and Khan as well as other aspects of the investigation, Police Legal Adviser Retired Justice of Appeal, Claudette Singh has said the evidence is tenuous to lay charges against anyone. She has recommended that the probe continue.

Guillard has alleged that Nizam Khan in June, 2015 had offered him GYD$7 million to kill President David Granger.

However, Guillard only reported the matter to police in late March, 2017, raising concerns about the credibility of the complainant.