THE man accused of allegedly plotting to kill President David Granger would not have been granted bail by head of the Major Crimes Unit, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mitchell Caesar.

Caesar appeared before the Commission called to inquire into the alleged plot to assassinate the President on Monday and told Commissioner Paul Slowe that while he did not find it strange that Police Commissioner, Seelall Persaud, instructed that Nazim Khan, the accused, and Andriff Gillard be placed on station bail, he would not have released the men so soon.

He noted that given the seriousness of the allegation, the two men would have remained in custody until such time as deemed fit for their released. “Notwithstanding the fact that he was on leave, you didn’t find it strange?” asked Slowe. Caesar replied in the negative, noting that he would not have placed the accused on bail but he was instructed.

“The issue of leave did not dawn on me at that time,” the ASP stated. He said he attempted to communicate with Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum, but it was pointed out that it was the Police Commissioner who instructed the men’s release. Caesar reports to the Crime Chief.

Asked why he did not communicate same with the Crime Chief, Caesar responded, “Sir, it is the Commissioner of Police. I didn’t see that was fit for me to do so, tell the Crime Chief that the Commissioner of Police said to put them on bail,” said Caesar, who accepted that he should have communicated with Blanhum. Caesar’s position was also held by Inspector Prim Narine, who also testified before the Commission on Monday.

Narine said he received a call from the Commissioner of Police, who after enquiring about what was transpiring at the CID, instructed him to release Imran Khan, the brother of Nizam Khan on his own recognisance and place the duo, Nizam and Gillard on station bail.

“I called Mr Caesar and told him what the instructions were because the Commissioner was on leave. He said to carry out the instructions and bail was set…” Narine noted during his evidence-in-chief. It was reported that Imran Khan was behaving disorderly at the CID headquarters by using indecent language.
“Would you have sent Imran Khan on bail?” asked Slowe, to whom Inspector Narine responed, “I have been a police for 17 years, I would not have loosed any of them…because of the nature of the report. They would have remained in custody…the only reason they were sent on bail is because I was instructed.”

Asked whether he considered the instruction by the Police Commissioner inappropriate, Narine said, “I considered that to some extent, that’s why I contacted Mr Caesar.”

During cross examination, retired Justice Ian Chang representing the interest of the Police asked, “Would you consider it improper to take instruction from the Commissioner of Police who is on leave?” and the Inspector responded, “To some extent.” He told the Commission that view would be dependent on the instruction. He did not believe Khan was a flight risk.

“Are you aware that the acting commissioner would seek advice or instruction from the Commissioner when on leave?” questioned Justice Chang to whom, Narine responded, “I am not aware.”

He continued: “If you didn’t get Caesar…” to which Narine said, “I would have sit there and watch them, if I didn’t get anybody.” Inspector Narine disclosed to the Commission that Imran Khan was a “friend of the police” and was seen on a number of occasions at police functions.

“I’ve known him for a couple of years…I’ve seen him around police Christmas parties…he interacted with various police, several levels…commissioners and divisional commanders,” he revealed. Inspector Narine’s statement was corroborated by Corporal Heranjan Deonarine and ASP Caesar. Deonarine and Caesar told the Commission that he too saw Imran Khan socialising at police functions with varying levels of the hierarchy.

Commissioner Slowe asked Narine whether Imran Khan, who was accused of disorderly behaviour, was on his mobile device while in custody. “Yes, I think Imran received a call on his cell phone…As I got there, while I was being briefed by the ranks, I realised he had a phone and as I approached him, he cut the conversation…I took the phone away from him,” the Inspector explained.

Additionally, it was revealed that Gillard, the accused behaved in a hostile manner while stationed at CID and destroyed his mobile device after ranks discovered him videoing the environments of CID. “We were of the view that he was videoing the environs of CID and I told him I’d have to check his phone…In an attempt to check it, he held it and broke it.”

New witness
Meanwhile, ASP Caesar disclosed to the Commission that CID is in receipt of a new statement from a resident of Grove. He said the person informed the police that she had known Gillard for some time as he had rented a cubicle at her salon and they live opposite each other at Grove.

Sometime before the incident, the woman said Gillard told her that he is renting a building and asked if she wanted to be a partner. The woman refused but the duo continued their conversation where he told her he was going to make a report about Khan.

“She asked him if it is not the same guy who helped him start his business,” Caesar recounted noting that the woman felt that Gillard was making up the allegation against Khan.

On Monday too, Leon Baldeo, the man who claimed Gillard offered him $50,000 to tell the police he was there when Khan offered him (Gillard) $7M to kill the President appeared before the Commission. He said on March 26, he went to Gillard’s residence to cut his hair and his equipment was not working at the time so the duo was in conversation. At that time, Baldeo said Gillard told him he would give him the $50,000 “to do something for him.”

The Tushen Housing Scheme man said Gillard accused Nizam Khan of having an affair with his wife and building a fence at the back of his yard. “I told him they are big people…I aint looking fuh get into no problem I aint know about,” said Baldeo who was jailed for Trafficking in Narcotics and accused of armed robbery in the past. The man said he visited CID headquarters on April 5 to make a report but “I didn’t get through”. He explained that he was at Jerry’s pools shop on Grove Public Road when he heard the men were “locked up.”

“I left there, I went home and went the next day to make the report at Eve Leary,” said Baldeo.

Commissioner Slowe asked, “How you end up at Eve Leary? What happened to Diamond, Providence, Grove, Brickdam…” to which the man responded, “I know is a serious offence.”

He explained that he caught a minibus and visited CID but he didn’t get through that morning but was told to return at 13:00hrs. He did not because he was working. The man explained that his statement was eventually made on April 9. The man visited the Commission’s Waterloo Street office last Friday though he was not summoned. “How did you know you were required to come here?” asked Slowe. “The Police went by my father and tell my father they want to summons me to come here…” he responded.

Khan’s car
The man said he met with staff of the commission and then left the office via minibus. “Are you familiar with motor vehicle PMM 7762?”
“No sir,” Baldeo stated. “Would it surprise you if you are told, and evidence was produced that you joined PMM 7762, you did not go into any minibus? Asked Slowe to which Baldeo responded in the negative. “Further, would it surprise you to know that PMM 7762 is registered and owned by Nizam Khan?” Slowe continued.
“I don’t know sir. I don’t know, I jumped in a bus out there,” responded Baldeo to whom Slowe said was “creased”.
“When you left here, we looked at you, we spy pon you…we saw PMM 7762 pull up and that is the vehicle you went with,” Slowe added.
“That’s a lie! I jumped in a bus,” Baldeo contended, while committing to doing a lie detector test at the request of the Commission. During Cross examination, Bladeo was asked why Gillard would have spoken to him three days before he went to the police to report the alleged plot.
“I don’t know what he think, he got to know what he think but that is what he told me on the 26th,” the man added. Slowe said he thought it was a typo but he assured it was the 26th March, he was offered the money by Gillard.
Baldeo said he and Gillard are friends but he did not trust him and was afraid that that Gillard would tell the police things to implicate him in the matter.
“Andriff and me does smoke weed…we smoke weed together,” he said noting that he is not related to the Khans. In a twist, Baldeo said he did not read the police statement he signed but for his name, address, and occupation. “You go to give a statement and the police tell you read and you choose not to read and then sign?” Slowe asked to which Baldeo responded, “I just read to confirm me name, address, my wife name and my daughter name…” But the Commissioner found his response amazing.
“I find it a little laughable…he didn’t read the part about the allegation…you aint know what you sign to,” questioned Slowe.