Attorney General Anil Nandlall yesterday said that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack has completely withdrawn herself from giving advice in the sexual molestation scandal involving a Muslim scholar and that a senior member of her chambers will now be handling the matter.
The file according to Police Divisional Commander David Ramnarine was re-sent to the DPP’s chamber and the investigators are presently awaiting advice on the way forward.
Nandlall in an invited comment told Stabroek News that he is aware of some public concerns expressed about the DPP’s role in advising in the matter.
“There have been calls from certain quarters that there is a conflict of interest in her rendering advice in the matter because they are saying that she is part of the same Muslim organization of which this man is a part”, he said.
He noted that last week he met Ali-Hack and raised those concerns and “she has assured me that she had not advised in the matter, that she has completely recused herself from doing anything in relation to this matter and she has instructed that the matter be dealt with exclusively by another senior functionary at the DPP chambers”.
Recently, allegations had surfaced that Ali-Hack attempted to interfere in the case. In response, the DPP denied the allegations in a press release and stressed that the police can go ahead and lay a charge in any matter without her advice. Nandlall in commenting on this issue told this newspaper that “if the police feel that they have sufficient evidence available then they can lay a charge as was done on previous occasions. If they decide that they need legal advice they are entitled to it”.
He noted that in relation to criminal law, the DPP is the one to give the police legal advice and in relation to civil law, it is the attorney general.
“If they decide they need advice that is an avenue to which they can resort”, he stressed.
The allegations against the Muslim Scholar who is attached to the Turkeyen Masjid and employed by the Central Islamic Organization of Guyana (CIOG) surfaced about two weeks ago when the names of four boys ranging from ages four to ten were called. A medical examination confirmed that they were sexually molested. Several days later, two more boys were found by officials of the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) and it was confirmed that one was sexually assaulted. Later, four boys were identified but only three were found and medical examinations confirmed two were molested.
All nine boys are in the care and custody of the CCPA.
The file was sent to the DPP for advice by Ramnarine last Friday but was returned on Monday asking for the concerns outlined in a letter submitted by attorney Vic Puran on the suspect’s behalf to be addressed.
The mother of the first group of boys told this newspaper in a recent interview that her sons are being denied justice because of the failure by police to charge the suspect. She said too that she is being shunned by the Muslim community and is receiving threats.
