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“They’re trying to frame me”
Allegations place me at great risk – Dr. Ramsammy
Dr. Leslie Ramsammy
Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has said that the star witness in the Robert Simels trial, 34-year-old Selwyn Vaughn, is trying to frame him in the Roger Khan scenario.
In a press statement issued to members of the media yesterday, Minister Ramsammy said, “I can only say that the so-called witness is trying frame me and to make me a target for sinister reasons.
His allegations are harmful, not only to my character as an honest, law-abiding citizen and a very hard worker, but also place me at great risk.”
Minister Ramsammy also stated that the media would be culpable should anything happen to him or his family, taking into consideration what he called the frenzy with which certain sections of the media have sensationalized the story and presented the allegations as facts.
Dr. Ramsammy has once again denied any involvement with Roger Khan or any of his associates. He told members of the media at the Pegasus hotel yesterday morning that he has never met or seen Roger Khan.
“I don’t even know who these people are.”
When asked if he facilitated any role in the state security sector at anytime, he said, “My job is Minister of Health, God damn it. And that’s the job I have always done… I am Minister of Health and that’s all!”
In an explosive comment to media operatives, Minister Ramsammy said that he is concerned with what people say about him, but noted that there is nothing he can do about the situation.
“What do you want me to do? Maybe you guys need to follow the real stories. God damn it! You guys go and talk about the people who burned down the Ministry of Health! You are talking about me.”
When questioned if he would make himself available to the United States Authorities, Minister Ramsammy said that the US authorities have always had access to him as he has travelled to that country many times.
According to Dr. Ramsammy, he first read of the death of Ronald Waddell in the newspapers, since he was busy making arrangements for his father’s funeral at that time. He also said that during the period that Waddell was killed, he was not even in Guyana.
“I never was informed by anyone, either at the hospital or outside of the hospital, about the fact that Mr. Waddell was shot and was at the hospital. At no time have I provided guidance to doctors about how to treat any person.
Thus, the allegation that Mr. Roger Khan spoke to me that night is pure fiction.
“I am not in a position to say what happened that night in Georgetown. I was not in contact with any person linked to the death of Mr. Waddell that night,” the Health Minister said.
The self-professed former member of the Shaheed ‘Roger’ Khan phantom gang, Selwyn Vaughn, went into the witness stand in the US court and stated that Roger Khan ordered the killings of political activist Ronald Waddell, and boxing coach Donald Allison.
The witness said that after the shooting that night, Khan and his group, including Vaughn, gathered at the Blue Iguana nightspot and from that location Khan called the Minister of Health in Guyana, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy.
According to Vaughn, Khan instructed Ramsammy to order the doctors at the Georgetown Public Hospital to let Waddell die.
However, Dr. Ramsammy denied this. “I do not know the witness who testified in the US court, but I never discussed any matter with Mr. Khan. I never discussed with anyone anything related to Mr. Khan, then or now. During that period many persons would meet me, as they did with any prominent Guyanese, but I only meet persons at my office who want to discuss matters related to my Ministry.
“I never met with Mr. Khan and Mr. Vaughn, the named witness, at my Ministry or in Bel Air Park, nor did they get any assistance from me on behalf of my Government, as alleged or at all.”
Ramsammy said that these stories emanating from the USA courts are absurd, malicious and mischievous and are being sensationalized at his expense.
Vaughn, who claimed that he became a DEA informant after Khan was arrested and taken to the US in 2006, was asked specifically whether he had ever met with Dr. Ramsammy.
He said that he met Ramsammy both at Roger Khan’s Carpet Cleaning office in Bel Air Village and that he went to Dr Ramsammy’s office on behalf of Khan who introduced him to Dr Ramsammy.
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