Witness tells cops he was offered money to corroborate alleged assassination plot
An alleged witness yesterday told investigators that the man who has claimed he was approached to participate in an assassination plot against the president offered him money to corroborate the story.
Police yesterday held a confrontation between the complainant and a man whom he said could verify his story. The complainant turned up at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters yesterday after unsuccessful attempts were made by police to contact him since Friday last.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum confirmed that a confrontation, as was advised by the police force’s legal adviser, was held between the complainant and an individual whose identity was not revealed.
The Crime Chief would not release any details on what occurred during the confrontation.
However, Stabroek News was able to confirm that during the confrontation, the purported witness related a story in the presence of the complainant and investigators. The complainant was subsequently offered an opportunity to respond to the story.
A well-placed source disclosed that the purported witness told the police that the complainant approached him after making a report to the police of the alleged plot to assassinate the president, and asked him if he could support his story by going to the police and giving a statement saying that he was present when a businessman offered the complainant money to assassinate the president. Further, the purported witness stated that the complainant offered him money in exchange for him supporting the complainant’s report.
According to the source, this matter has been under investigation for approximately three weeks.
Police are now expected to return the case file for further legal advice on how to proceed.
Last Friday Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud told reporters that the matter had been investigated and the file returned to the police for further work. “Actually [there] was a witness that the police contacted and … the police legal advisor asked that we confront him with the person making the allegation to clear some issues and then to resend [the file],” he had explained.
“There are two individuals, the person making the allegation and a witness who has given the police a statement,” Persaud said, explaining, “witness meaning someone who could be able to give evidence to state whether this happened or did not happen.”
Minister of State Joseph Harmon, at his weekly post-cabinet press briefing, last Thursday confirmed that there has been a report of a plot by a group of men to assassinate the president during one of his outreaches.
The Guyana Police Force on Friday last had also refuted claims by a section of the media (MTV News Update Ch. 65) that senior ranks of the Force were involved in a plot. “This false and malicious accusation levelled against members of the Force is designed to tarnish the good reputation of the Organisation,” the police said.