Alleged assassination plot against President…COI to probe if cops failed to properly investigate

Jul 12, 2017 News

In the coming weeks, citizens will know if the Guyana Police Force (GPF) failed to properly investigate an alleged plot to kill President David Granger.

Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan hands over the instrument of appointment to Commissioner Paul Slowe

Yesterday, Retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul Slowe was sworn in as commissioner to head an inquiry mandated by President Granger into the persons, places, times, circumstances and events by, and through which, allegations and reports were made of a plan to assassinate him.
Slowe took the oath before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. The final report of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) will be rendered to the President on August 18.
“I am expecting the truth to be revealed. What really transpired and how the entire process was handled,” Slowe told reporters.
According to the Terms of Reference, Slowe will determine if any member of the Guyana Police Force had information about the murder plot before and after reports, and whether they communicated the information to their superiors.
The COI will also determine if any police officer involved in the investigation is to be blamed for failure or neglect to properly and thoroughly investigate the plan to assassinate the President, and what action should be taken against them.
The COI will review all actions taken by the GPF and examine if there was neglect, evidence failure, or omission to properly investigate the “intention” or plan to assassinate the President, and to determine whether such failure or omission was intentional. It is also set out to identify systemic issues, if any, in the Guyana Police Force’s competence to investigate matters

President David Granger

of this nature.
Further, the commissioner will investigate and review the full range of the Guyana Police Force’s actions and responses to the report of the assassination plot and the extent to which such actions were conducted or executed with due diligence.
The alleged plot to kill the President was discussed during a cabinet meeting in April. When asked about a possible motive, Minister of State Joseph Harmon had proffered that President Granger enjoys popularity across the country.
“It’s important that we understand while we have a popular president, and people all around this country love him and embrace him, that sometimes, there are some people who are misguided by what they see on Facebook and copycat type of issues. Therefore we always have to be careful,” Harmon had said.
Minister Harmon also expressed his confidence that the security forces can protect the Head of State.
The alleged plot was reportedly revealed when a man whose name was not disclosed was interviewed by HGP TV and a part of the footage was released on April 20.
During the interview, the informant, who had no problems with his face being shown, detailed a plot in which he claimed he was offered $7M to kill President 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 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.
It was reported that police officers and a businessman with links to the gold industry, were said to be involved. The informant, who insisted that he has never harmed
anyone before, said he was threatened with death by the persons who attempted to hire him. Police were called in to investigate and the man was reportedly picked up and questioned.