New York Police probing alleged aggravated harassment by Attorney General Nandlall

Last Updated on Thursday, 15 July 2021, 7:33 by Denis Chabrol

The New York Police Department (NYPD) says Guyana’s Attorney General Anil Nandlall is under investigation for aggravated harassment, but he has already publicly denied the accusation.

NYPD says they received a complaint from United States-based activist Rickford Burke.

The Detective Squad at the 71st Precinct in Brooklyn, New York is conducting the investigation, according to the law enforcement agency.

It was not immediately clear whether the NYPD has already questioned Mr. Nandlall, but he has already denied such allegations publicly.

“Absolute nonsense!  Absolute nonsense! At the JFK Airport while they were manufacturing and publishing these allegations, I was accorded by both the immigration and the Federal authorities. Of course, I did not threaten anybody but what can I do? I have not said anything to anyone of them,” Mr. Nandlall said on his weekly Facebook programme.

The alleged aggravated harassment occurred between July 5 and 6, 2021 at Far Rockaway, Queens, New York.

According to the complaint, police say that Mr. Burke reported that Mr. Nandlall stated that he must be killed.

The complaint document states that Attorney General Nandlall is wanted by the NYPD.

For his part, the Attorney General has told News-Talk Radio Guyana that he does not know anything about the incident and no one has contacted him. “It’s without basis,” he said.

New York lawyers say that if police can establish cause for harassment, annoyance, threatening or alarming someone, a suspect could be arrested. The lawyers say the complainant has to prove that he or she has been communicated with by phone, email or text or come into actual physical contact with the other person.

Mr. Nandlall suggested that the allegation was made by mentally ill persons. “What you are reading are the products of demented minds; the product of people who have serious mental health issues and all I can advise is that they seek serious clinical medical attention,” he said.

Mr. Burke was among a group of about 35 persons who had protested outside of a restaurant in Queens, New York where the Attorney General had been meeting with diaspora supporters of Guyana’s governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

Mr. Burke  has consistently criticised the PPP of racism against Afro-Guyanese as well as corruption.

The Guyana government has over the past few weeks repeatedly assured Guyanese and United States Congressmen that there is no discrimination and is ready to govern inclusively once the opposition A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) concedes it was defeated in the March 2, 2020 elections and recognises the PPP as the legitimately elected government.