…but confirms matter being investigated
COMMISSIONER General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Khurshid Sattaur, has taken issue with the Kaieteur News for the publication of an article that, according to him, could be prejudicial to an ongoing investigation and place lives at risk.
Sattaur was referring to the article “Customs Officers held in blackmail plot” which appeared in the Kaieteur News yesterday. The article alleges that Police have detained a number of customs officers for allegedly attempting to blackmail a senior functionary of the GRA because the functionary has incriminating information on the persons and because of an attempt to discipline them.
“I don’t know where they got the information from; how can Kaieteur News pre-empt the outcome of the investigation,” Sattaur said, while confirming that there is an ongoing investigation surrounding the use of threats to influence persons against taking certain actions against them.
On the allegations of attempts to blackmail, the Commissioner General said that it is discomforting that persons would want to stoop to that level to force the hand of GRA functionaries. He said that the matter is presently engaging the attention of the Police.
He called it unprincipled for the newspaper to print the information the way it did. Sattaur said that it was done for the purpose of sales. “Thank of the families of these officers. Think of the sanctity of their lives,” said Sattaur. “They expose everything no matter how sensitive the situation is…it will prejudice the outcome of the investigation,” he said.
“It tells you of the unethical practices of Kaieteur News,” he said, adding that not because an officer is penalised or is under investigation means that it must be publicised. “We don’t want to get involved tampering with the work of the Police,” he said.
Police spokesman Ivelaw Whittaker said that he had no information on the matter regarding the blackmail. But Sattaur confirmed that persons were being questioned by the Police in the matter.
Sattaur said that because of the nature of the GRA, its work involves investigation from time to time. “It doesn’t mean that it must go to the press,” he said. He added that when these investigations point to criminal matters, then the Police are called in.