– Jagdeo accuses SOCU of targeting former gov’t officials
Recent news about the Special Organised Crime Unit’s (SOCU) intention to have two former senior functionaries, one being a minister of the previous Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government taken for questioning in connection with the findings of a forensic audit into the management of National Industrial & Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) has not gone unnoticed by the opposition.
In fact, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on Tuesday claimed that SOCU has now been converted into a Peoples National Congress (PNC) outfit with its main objective to carry out with-hunts. The former head of state defended the former NICIL head, Winston Brassington and former Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, who SOCU said they are actively seeking to question.
“It has been created to go after PPP officials, not drug dealers, not money launderers, not anyone else but to go after PPP people. So, we will continue to oppose the witch-hunt,” Jagdeo asserted.
Asked whether he thinks that the two should return, the opposition leader said that it is unfair for both to men put their lives on pause just to be questioned by the police.
Jagdeo also argued that Government’s action in this regard has been blatant referring to examples where members of the Government calling out members of the opposition in Parliament, warning them to look out for SOCU. He therefore reminded that ministers have no line responsibility for SOCU.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, who has been dragged to the courts by Government, informed the media that he was told by senior SOCU officials that they have acquired another search warrant to seize laws books belonging to government.
But Nandlall said that this move would mean that the police are flouting a court order which prohibits SOCU from seizing these books. Nandlall has already been charged with larceny in connection with 15 LexisNexis Law Reports of the Commonwealth that were bought by the State for Nandlall’s own use.
In late April, the Supreme Court of Judicature issued a Conservatory Order, preventing the State and the SOCU from seizing the law books. The order was issued by Chief Justice Dawn Gregory.
Nandlall had previously stated that the purchase and subsequent acquisition of those documents were authorized by former President Donald Ramotar. The documents which were bought between 2012 and 2015 cost the government over G$2.8M at the time they were purchased and are still in the care of the former AG.
SOCU had obtained a search warrant to retrieve the law reports but was unable to locate them since they were locked up at a house owned by Nandlall that is being rented and it was reported then that the tenants are overseas and in possession of the house keys.
