THE Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has completed its investigations into the alleged threat made by publisher of Kaieteur News, Mr. Glenn Lall to the Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Mr. Khurshid Sattaur.

And the case file is back with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for the second time in less than 10 days. The file was initially sent to the DPP’s Chambers on October 14 and returned to Crime Chief Leslie James on October 15, who returned it to the DPP, Mrs. Shalimar Ali-Hack, for her recommendations.
Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle yesterday, Mr. Sattaur expressed his disappointment with the pace of the investigations and contends that there seems to be some “hesitation” in bringing charges against Lall.
“I think the authorities are dragging their feet on the matter. Today the threat is against me, tomorrow it could be them. As a public officer I, like them, am only fulfilling my statutory obligations,” he said.
The investigations followed a complaint made by the GRA Commissioner-General. He lodged a formal complaint at the Brickdam Police Station, regarding an alleged threat from publisher of Kaieteur News, Mr. Glenn Lall.
Standard Operating Procedures in similar matters require the lodging of one’s firearm, if the person making the alleged threat is a licensed firearm holder. However, it is unclear whether or not Lall has lodged his licensed firearm.
The alleged threats to the GRA Head were made in late August when two vehicles used by Lall and his wife and alleged to be part of a remigrant duty-free scam were impounded by the Authority.

TELEPHONE CALL

At the time Sattaur disclosed that he received a telephone call from a person “whose voice I recognised as Mr. Glenn Lall” and was threatened.
He said, “Lall called me from an overseas number and threatened to expose me; he threatened to deal with me in a matter, as if I’m a thief and he’s going to do this thing, because I am using my office to deal with the matters I normally deal with.
“He threatened to use his newspaper to expose me; I don’t know what wrong I am doing. If I am trying to do the Government’s work…I don’t know why people should be upset, if they are doing wrong things, they should be subject to the laws as well.”
According to Sattaur such actions, the making of threats, are unconscionable.
“I am not acting vindictively; I am doing my work. Mr. Lall is not excluded from paying taxes,” the GRA boss said.
The two vehicles in question, PRR 8398 and PRR 8399, which were handed over to GRA and impounded at the Authority’s warehouse, followed an hours-long standoff between GRA officials and Navin Sankar, a high-ranking GRA employee.
Six criminal charges altogether have since been filed against Lall, his wife Bhena, and Sankar’s parents, Narootandeo and Gharbassi Brijnanan, who have all been implicated in the scam. Lall and his wife have since been arraigned on four of the six charges.
The charges follow an investigation which was launched to ensure that procedures and policy as well as the provisions of the law were adhered to.