Alleged plot against President Granger…Probe stalled as cops fail to find man who claims he was hired

Apr 24, 2017 News

The police investigation into claims by a man that he was offered $7M to assassinate President David Granger has hit a snag.
Police have no idea where the individual who made the allegation might be.
The latest twist in the bizarre story was revealed yesterday by a senior police official.
“Despite diligent efforts to contact the complainant, based on advice by our Legal Officer, he wasn’t located. Efforts are ongoing to find him,” the official added.
Based on instructions by the Police Legal Advisor, investigators had intended to arrange a confrontation with the man making the allegation and an alleged eyewitness.
Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud had told journalists on Friday that police had hoped to receive legal advice on the matter early this week.
The Commissioner had said that “the matter was investigated and sent for legal advice (and) we got advice today (Friday). There was a witness that the police contacted, who the Police Legal Advisor asked that we confront with the person making the allegation to clear up some issues, and then to resend it (the file).”
He had also stated that the Police Legal Advisor was the best person to say “whether the allegation can be proven, or whether there was mischief.”
The Top Cop and Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan have angrily refuted claims, allegedly aired by a television station, that police ranks were involved in the alleged plot.
They had threatened to take strong action against the television station. Ramjattan had said that such a report could constitute public mischief that could lead to prosecution, “and could lead to severe consequences about their licenses.”
Urging journalists to be responsible in their reporting, Commissioner Persaud recalled the genocide in Rwanda, which was triggered by unprofessional media reports.
It was during his weekly post-Cabinet briefing last Thursday that Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, confirmed that the Cabinet and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) were aware of the reported threat made against President Granger’s life.
Minister Harmon stated that the matter has been referred to the Police Legal Adviser, but declined to give further details, noting that an investigation was already underway.
“Security is not something you play with. The professional people know what they do and they put certain measures in place.”
The alleged plot was reportedly revealed when a man whose name was not disclosed was interviewed by HGP TV and a section of the footage was released on Thursday.
During the interview, the man who had no problems with his identity being known, detailed a plot in which he was offered $7M to kill Granger near or at State House, the official residence of the president.
The man claimed that he went to borrow $6M from a businessman, said to be a gold miner. Instead, the businessman offered $7M.
The businessman allegedly showed the person being interviewed a long gun and said it was to be used in the assassination. However, the man claimed he turned down the offer.
The police reportedly have been investigating the matter for a month now.
The man was reportedly picked up and questioned.
It was claimed that police officers and a businessman with links to the gold industry were said to be involved.
The man, who insisted that he has never harmed anyone before, said he was threatened with death by the persons who attempted to hire him.

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