Latest update December 18th, 2024 5:45 AM
Jun 29, 2018 News
Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall yesterday defended senior People’s Progressive Party (PPP) members Bharrat Jagdeo, Samuel Hinds and Clement Rohee against allegations that they “consistently refused” invitations to appear before the Commission of Inquiry into the Lindo Creek killings.
Nandlall asserted that the former President, Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister had refused to participate in private, rather than public hearings.
“None of the persons…refused to attend the hearings,” Nandlall told Kaieteur News.
“Pursuant to the invitations (by the Commission) they refused to attend private hearings and submit statements to the Commission. They must be able to state freely what they knew and what they would like to say.”
Asked if they would give public testimony if the life of the Commission was extended, and this offer was made, Nandlall said “we would cross that bridge when we come to it.”
A release from the Commission stated that it “wishes to advise the public that three former senior government functionaries have consistently refused the Commission’s invitation to contribute to the process of finding the truth behind the dastardly killings of the eight miners which are the subject of the Commission’s investigation.”
“Against the backdrop that former President Bharrat Jagdeo, Former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and former Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee may have useful information to offer the Commission regarding its investigation into the killings, the three eminent gentlemen were invited on two occasions to participate in the process.
“All three persons held important government positions in 2008 when the miners were killed and their names were mentioned by a number of witnesses during the public hearings held by the Commission.
“In response to the Commission’s first invitation in May 2018, all three officials through their Attorneys at Law, Mohabir A. Nandlall & Associates, by way of letter, responded by stating that “It is with regret that I inform you that my client/s will not voluntarily attend any private hearing of the Commission. An invitation to attend a public hearing may have attracted a different response from my client/s.”
A second invitation was sent by the Commission to the officials in June 2018 inviting them to submit witness statements related to the Lindo Creek Commission of Inquiry and informing them that consideration would be given to according them a public hearing should the Commission consider it necessary.
“This invitation was again declined by way of letter from Attorneys at law, Mohabir A. Nandlall & Associates.”
Kaieteur News understands that the Commission had preferred that Jagdeo, Hinds and Rohee give private testimony, to avoid the media frenzy of public testimony.
The Commission of Inquiry (COI) has been established to inquire into the circumstances surrounding the killings of Cedric Arokium, Dax Arokium, Horace Drakes, Bonny Harry, Lancelot Lee, Compton Speirs, Nigel Torres and Clifton Berry Wong on or about 21st day of June 2008 and to report its findings and recommendations to President David Granger.
While former Commissioner of Police Henry Greene (now deceased) had stated that there was evidence that the Rondell ‘Fine Man’ Rawlins gang had slaughtered the miners, others had suggested that they were slain by members of the Joint Services, who were at Lindo Creek.
Several senior and retired police officials have appeared before the Commission. Some were allowed to give private testimony.
Dec 18, 2024
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