– Sattaur denies ever meeting lawyer
Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Khurshid Sattaur has called former Roger Khan attorney Robert Simels a “blatant liar” saying he never met him at any time.
Simels, who was recently convicted on charges of witness tampering, had alleged during his US court trial that he met Sattaur and several other prominent Guyanese.
“I never met with him. I don’t know him. I don’t know what he smells like,” Sattaur said on Thursday. Previously he had declined comment saying he first had to consult with his attorneys before speaking on the issue.
But on Thursday Sattaur spoke openly stating that he had initially reserved comment because the trial was continuing. Declaring his statement on the issue was being made without any fear of contradiction, Sattaur said he did not meet Simels while the attorney was here building a case for Khan’s defence and he labelled the attorney a blatant liar.
“If anyone says that I met with him at anytime they are lying,” he added.
Simels had testified during his trial that he met Sattaur among several others while in Guyana working on Khan’s case. Simels had also alleged meeting several key government officials on behalf of his client namely Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy and Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee. Ramsammy has rejected the claim and Rohee said, “No comment”.
The attorney also mentioned meeting Chairman of the Private Sector Commis-sion (PSC) Gerry Gouveia and when contacted Gouveia confirmed the meeting. The PSC Chairman said Simels wanted to ascertain whether the now confessed drug trafficker was recognized in business circles here, and he had responded by telling him Khan was not a member of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI).
Questioned further on whether GRA had any knowledge of intercept equipment being shipped to Guyana, an agitated Sattaur replied, “How would I know that?!”He said it is highly unlikely the importation of any such equipment would be declared to the revenue authorities.
“If Roger Khan was bringing that here for clandestine operations you think he would declare it for the revenue authority to know and start probing?” Sattaur asked rhetorically.
The infamous spy equipment which was seized from Khan in 2002 turned up in a US courtroom during Simels’ trial. Prosecutors produced the equipment and later called Peter Myers of the UK manufacturing company who testified that his firm sold the equipment to the government here — a claim the administration has vehemently rejected. Subsequent to this, Police Commissioner Henry Greene produced a laptop computer and receiver which he said belonged to Khan, but provided no evidence to prove that the equipment in the possession of the force is that which Khan was operating here.
