The Commission of Inquiry (CoI) probing the alleged plot to assassinate President David Granger yesterday heard a statement from a witness that the accuser, Andrif Gillard had told her that it was his intention to fabricate such a plan and pin it on Nizam Khan.
The statement by Luanna Walker to the police on July 19th was read to the CoI by Corporal Jermaine Laundry. The appearance of the statement prompted the Chairman of the CoI, Paul Slowe to lament that this pertinent information had not been presented to the Commission before. The Commission began its hearings on July 20th.
Laundry was yesterday called to give further evidence, to wit, Walker’s statement. The statement was read aloud and a copy submitted to the CoI.
Attorney for the Guyana Police Force in the matter, Ian Chang, produced Walker’s statement that was taken by Laundry for it to be read for the commission and the public.
According to Laundry, he had remembered meeting with Walker, and taking a statement from her in relation to the matter.
In the statement, Walker, who said she has known Gillard for several years, said she was told by him that he was going to tell everyone that Khan had paid him to assassinate the President. According to the statement, Gillard was planning to frame Khan, because he [Khan] had helped the owner of a property on which Gillard had been operating a taxi service to win a court case that would see the removal of Gillard from the property. The statement by Walker went on to say that Khan would have also paid a woman to get out of jail to remove Gillard from the property because Khan wanted to purchase same from the woman.
“ …when I done with he [Khan] I go give everybody thing for talk..” Walker had said, Gillard told her. The statement said that Walker related that she then questioned Gillard as to what he planned to do to the businessman, whether he planned to plant something on him or set him up with a gun. “I have better things to do, when I done with he everybody will believe… because people know that me and he is friend and when I done plan, I will go and say that he paid me to go and kill Granger”, Gillard replied to the woman, according to the statement that was read.
Walker said in the statement that she tried to dissuade Gillard from framing the businessman. “I then told Andrif not to do that, but he [Gillard] said Nizam should help him with his business… I then told him not to do that because he know the man (Nizam) never do that… and if the man wrong him he will get his reward…”, Laundry read to the court.
Walker in her statement also said that one day the mother of Gillard’s child came to her, after he had abused her, and told her that Gillard was planning to do something to Khan. Walker in her statement said that she decided not to tell Gillard’s wife about what he had told her as couples would “make up” after their fight.
Walker said she saw the news about Khan and Gillard on social media which prompted her to contact her lawyer who advised her to make a police report.
In light of the new statement the Chairman of the CoI said he was disappointed that pertinent information to the case, like the statement of Walker, was only brought before the commission yesterday. “…the Commis-sioner (of Police Seelall Persaud) himself gave evidence a while ago about tapes being in possession. We have seen during the course of inquiry ranks of the force giving statements and making statements that are not here, so I have to wonder what else is excluded”, Slowe said.
The CoI was set up after concerns about whether the police force had properly investigated the claims made by Gillard.
Gillard and Khan had been questioned by the police about the alleged plot and then released the said day. The rapid release by the police of Khan has been a key focus of the CoI.
Application made for Ramjattan to appear
An application was yesterday made for Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan to appear before the Commission of Inquiry into the alleged plot to assassinate President David Granger.
The application was made by Christopher Ram, the attorney of Imran Khan, the brother of Nizam Kham. Nizam Khan is the person who was alleged to have sought the assassination.
The CoI is to make a decision on the request.
During yesterday’s hearing, counsel for the police force, Ian Chang asked for Lloyd Adams, who the police had held confrontations with regarding the matter, to be made available for testimony. According to Chairman of the CoI, Paul Slowe, the inquiry is trying to get Adams since it feels he has pertinent information. The Chairman said that if Adams is afraid to go before the cameras he will hold an in-camera inquiry, something he is allowed to do.
The CoI continues tomorrow with more testimony from Imran Khan, Inspector Prem Narine and Assistant Commissioner of Police David Ramnarine who have all appeared before.
