Despite fears of a cover-up, Kaieteur News owner Glenn Lall and senior reporter Leonard Gildarie yesterday met with police to clarify the complaint about threats allegedly made by Attorney-General (AG) Anil Nandlall.
Attorney Christopher Ram, who accompanied both men, later told Stabroek News that the police have enough material in their possession to proceed with an investigation, while saying it was shocking that there appeared to be no immediate intention to interview Nandlall. “We were astonished to learn that there is no immediate plan to interview Nandlall. That is completely mind boggling,” Ram stressed.
The interview came after police on two successive days said that attempts to contact both men to clarify the complaint had been unsuccessful. Lall has since denied the police’s claims.
The circulation of the recording of a damning conversation in which a voice said to be the AG’s is heard intimating that the use of deadly violence against the Kaieteur News was acceptable, has prompted calls for his resignation by the parliamentary opposition as well as the Guyana Bar Association and the Guyana Women Lawyers’ Association and the Guyana Human Rights Association. Mentions of the misuse of public funds and the intimation that President Donald Ramotar participated in conversations with Bhena Lall in an ongoing criminal matter in return for less critical reporting by her co-defendant husband, Glenn Lall, have also generated concern. However, Ramotar and his Cabinet have stood by Nandlall, while saying the legality of the recording and not its content should be the main issue.
After days of efforts to get a comment, Stabroek News spoke with Nandlall yesterday and he indicated that he could not speak on the issue since it is now before the court. Nandlall last week filed a $30 million lawsuit against Kaieteur News, Lall and editor Adam Harris and according to him the recording will form part of his case.
Although he said that he would not be saying more on the subject, he had earlier told the
Government Information Agency (GINA) that the Kaieteur News acted illegally in recording his telephone conversation with one of its staff and making it public. In an interview with GINA, Nandlall stated that the entire episode is being blown and twisted out of proportion, with the focus being completely misplaced. “The truth of the matter is that I was having a private conversation with a person whom I have known for a number of years. In fact, we went to Queen’s College together. I was speaking about a personal matter. I did not know that the conversation was being recorded,” he was quoted as saying. He added that the recording is obviously illegal.
Asked whether he has made to a report to police about how the recording was obtained, Nandlall said no. He also said that he has made no report to the police with respect to any aspect of this matter and that police have not made contact with him either.
Cover-up
Ram yesterday said that the decision to not speak with Nandlall suggested a cover-up.
He said that when he questioned detectives about their intention to question the AG, they were not responsive. He stressed that a complaint has been filed about threats to the lives of those at Kaieteur News and as a result it is the first duty of the police to interview Nandlall. He noted too that the recorded conversation refers to many wrongdoings, including the misuse of public funds. The attorney also said that he is “absolutely astonished” at the way the police are handling the matter, while noting that it is one that should be taken very seriously. “This signals cover-up from very high levels,” he said, while suggesting that the hope is probably to drag things out.
However, Ram said that if the police fail to take action then he and the rest of the legal team will have to take action to ensure the protection of the newspaper and its staff. According to him, the staff at Kaieteur News are living in fear. This, he said, is very understandable, given the circumstances.
“We will be considering the dangers and implications of any delay in delaying with this matter,” he said.
Asked to respond to accusations that the recording was tampered with, Ram said, “This is utter rubbish and a red herring. There is no question about any interception.” He said that the conversation was recorded in keeping with standard media practice in an age where “people like to say they did not say that.”
Meanwhile, Ram said he and Gildarie turned up at Brickdam Police Station yesterday at the scheduled 8 am for an interview. He said they had to wait a while for the investigating rank to arrive but because of the nature of the questions it was agreed that a written statement will also be handed over.
The attorney criticised the police for turning up at his client’s home on Friday and then instructing him to go the police station without his attorney. He said his client was escorted to the Ruimveldt Police Station and the Brickdam Police Station but upon his intervention left.
With respect to Lall, he said that after making several efforts to contact the investigating ranks, he and his client went at the Brickdam Police Station to provide them with a further statement. “Our impression is that they are satisfied that they now have all the information… that was expected by them and we believe we have already provided sufficient information for them to address the threats…,” he said.
When contacted, Lall spoke to the regional as well as international attention the matter has attracted. Asked about reports that Gildarie had resigned, Lall said they were untrue.
Lall had said that the threats made on the recording are the most recent of many attempts to muzzle the newspaper for its exposures of acts of corruption in the government. Two weeks prior, he said, he had made a report to the Ruimveldt Police Station after he got wind of a reported plot to kill him.
