Cops question Jagdeo over his Babu Jaan comments

Apr 18, 2019 News

At centre: Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo being questioned by ranks of the Criminal Investigations Department, (CID) (backing the camera) in the presence of his attorneys.

Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo was yesterday questioned by ranks of the Criminal Investigations Department, (CID) over statements he made during his address at a rally held in commemoration of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP)’s founding leader Cheddi Jagan at Babu Jaan, Corentyne, last month.
Kaieteur News understands that the police paid Jagdeo a visit at his Church Street office where they put to him several allegations in the presence of his attorneys Anil Nandlall, Sanjeev Datadin and Priya Manickchand.
Jagdeo has been accused of inciting his party supporters with the comments, he made in regards to the government during his address at Babu Jaan on March 10th last.
During his speech, the opposition leader had, in reference to the government, urged his supporters to “chase them out.”
Jagdeo had emphasised that the government has been illegal following the contentious no- confidence vote passed in the National Assembly on December 21.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Guyana Police Force denied being ordered by anyone to arrest and charge the Opposition Leader over his alleged inciting racial hostility during a speech at Babu Jaan.
The force said it had taken note of a press statement by the PPP in which the party alleged that the police have been instructed by Congress Place and the Office of the President to arrest, detain, and charge Opposition Leader and General Secretary.
“The Guyana Police Force wishes to clearly refute such statement and to inform all and sundry that the Ministry of the Presidency, the People’s National Congress – Reform or A Partnership for National Unity have not given any such instruction or advice.”
Additionally, the Force insisted that it remains a professional organization and any action previously or currently being taken, is wholly pursuant to legal advice obtained and or to engage in investigations.
The PPP, in a statement hours earlier, noted it was in receipt of information from a usually reliable source that the police had been instructed by Congress Place and the Office of the President to arrest, detain and charge Jagdeo.
“This speech was widely covered in the media. It is devoid of any racial content whatsoever. It simply called upon all Guyanese to reject the Government, including the President and the Prime Minister, after March 21, 2019, “by chasing them”.
“From that date, the Government would have become illegal and the President, the Prime Minister and Ministers of the Government would no longer be lawfully entitled to hold their governmental offices because of the successful passage of a no confidence motion passed against the Government in the National Assembly on the 21st December, 2019, and the ruling of the Chief Justice, which upheld the validity of that no confidence motion,” the statement added.

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