Nandlall denies any involvement in Crum-Ewing’s murder

– distances self from former bodyguard implicated

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall at a press conference on Thursday admitted to hiring a man currently in police custody for the Courtney Crum-Ewing murder as his personal bodyguard, but said he fired the man four days later after being informed that he was giving out information about his whereabouts.

Nandlall insisted that the man, Rajput Narine, who is a former CANU officer and an employee of the Guyana Revenue Authority was hired on March 15, several days after the political activist was gunned down in Diamond, East Bank Demerara.

He denied any involvement in the actually killing or plot to kill the father of three. More so he denied ever threatening the man who had been protesting in front of his office for weeks. Police, he said never made contact with him in relation to the investigation.

Nandall says too that in light of everything that has happened and is happening he no longer feels safe.

Below is a statement read by Nandlall during the press conference which was held at Sleepin Hotel on Brickdam, before he entertained questions.

 PRESS STATEMENT

It has been published in the news that a former body guard of mine has been arrested by members of the Guyana Police Force in connection with the investigations relating to the death of Courtney Crum-Ewing.

Let me say from the outset, that Courtney Crum-Ewing protested for several months in front of the Ministry of Legal Affairs while I was the sitting Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs. During that time, I never once interacted or spoke to this individual. As far as I am aware, no harm befell him while he was conducting his protest actions at that location.

Courtney Crum Ewing was shot on the evening of March, 10th 2015, nearly 2 months after he had stopped protesting at the Ministry. At that time, I was speaking at a political public meeting in front of the Kali Mandir at Timehri. Approximately 100 persons were in attendance.

On my way down from that meeting, I was informed of the death of Crum-Ewing.

Immediately, wild allegations begun to be made, implying that the PPP was involved in this killing. I was advised to get security both at my home and body-guards. I contacted the Guyana Police Force and armed security from the Force was provided at my house and I was offered the opportunity to retain a person of my choice as my body-guard.

However, on the 12th of March, 2015, I left Guyana to accompany President Donald Ramotar to New York, without doing so. In New York, President Donald Ramotar held several meetings with the Guyanese community and at one of those meetings, I met an old acquaintance, Anter Narine. As we were chatting, the Crum E-wing issue came up and I told him that I was advised to hire a personal security upon my return and that I intend to do so.

He informed me that he has a brother in Guyana, Rajput Narine, who is a former CANU Officer and who is a licenced firearm holder and who is a person whom I can trust and that I should consider hiring him. He gave me his brother’s cell number. Upon my return to Guyana, I called the person and arranged to meet and met with him. I never knew him before, never spoke with him before and never saw him before. I met him on the 15th day of March, 2015, for the first time.

I met him in the presence of my driver who knew him from before. I explained to him the task at hand and he was willing to work as my body guard. He informed me that at the time, he was in the employ of the Guyana Revenue Authority and I need to write the Commissioner General and request his secondment. The following day, I did so and he commenced working with me.

However, after about 4 days, I was dissatisfied with his performance, generally. More importantly, my drivers reported that he was disclosing our whereabouts to persons on his telephone. As a result, I told him that I will no longer require his services and sent him away. I took back a vehicle which was assigned to him as a backup to my vehicle.

I next requested from the Commissioner of Police, two members of the Force as my security details. Two officers of the Force were assigned to me. They were recalled when I demitted office.

After, I sent away Rajput, I wrote to the Commissioner General so informing him.

I hope I have clearly demonstrated that I only came into contact with Rajput Narine after the death of Courtney Crum-Ewing. I take this opportunity to deny any involvement whatsoever in that incident and to say that there is obviously an attempt to implicate me and the PPP in this horrendous act as part of a political design.

I hope that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.