THE Paul Slowe-led Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the alleged plot to assassinate President David Granger has recommended that Deputy Crime Chief, Senior Superintendent of Police Rishi Das be replaced and removed from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

It has also been recommended that Das be disciplined for neglect of duty for failing to ensure that the correct date of the allegation made by Andriff Gillard, a Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD) resident, was stated in the report he submitted to the commissioner of police.

“The Commission recommends that he should be replaced as the Deputy Crime Chief. His efficacy in the CID also comes into question, and therefore, he should be removed from that department,” the report handed over to the President a few weeks ago stated.
During his testimony before the Commission, the deputy crime chief opined that a proper investigation was not done into the alleged plot to kill the head-of-state, but did nothing in his capacity as deputy crime chief or acting crime chief to change the circumstances.

“The fact that he claimed that he was of the opinion that a proper investigation was not done, and he did nothing as the deputy crime chief, or when he acted as crime chief to have the situation corrected, speaks volumes of his competence to occupy such an important position,” the report added.

Das told the Commission that no serious effort had been taken during the initial stage of the investigation and noted too that there were efforts to discredit Gillard’s allegation.
Gillard had reported to police that Nizam Khan offered him $7M to kill President Granger in June 2015. He reported that matter in March this year, thereby bringing into question the credibility of the information.

According to the Grove businessman, he had approached Khan to borrow $6M, but instead Khan offered him $7M, which he would not have to repay if he carried out the act.
Das told retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Slowe, that he was at the helm of the CID during April as Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum had proceeded on five days’ leave.

SAW NO EFFORT
Upon taking up the mantle, Commissioner Slowe questioned whether Das had seen any effort by the investigators to corroborate the story told by Gillard and was told no.
The senior superintendent explained that based on the report filed, Gillard and Nizam Khan were the only ones present when the alleged plot was discussed.

According to him, while acting as crime chief, he instructed the investigators to return to the scene where the alleged plot was discussed, to gather additional information.
It was put to Das by Commissioner Slowe that “a month after… you saw no effort made on the part of the investigating officers to get people who would have been able to support the story told by Gillard,” and he responded in the positive.

“Let’s talk about the witnesses now to discredit the story, you saw evidence of this?” Commissioner Slowe asked and again was told “yes,” while making reference to Leon Baldeo and Lloyd Adams. Baldeo had contended that Gillard had offered him $50, 000 to support his story.

“But you didn’t find it strange, as a seasoned man, efforts were made to discredit the story but no effort made until you [were] instructed to try and get people to support the story? Isn’t that strange?” Commissioner Slowe further questioned and again Das responded in the affirmative.

That aside, the deputy crime chief told the commission that he had known Gillard and Khan prior to the allegation. It was explained that while working at the Grove Police Station in the early 1990s, both Gillard and Khan were known for assisting the Guyana Police Force.

NO LONGER FRIENDS
Back then, they were “friends” to the police, but Das made it clear that they could no longer be considered his friends. “Nizam’s brother, Imran Khan, I know him by seeing him,” the senior superintendent said. He, however, did not know Baldeo and Adams prior to the allegation.

During cross-examination by attorney for the force, retired Chief Justice Ian Chang, Das said he could not recall whether in 2016 Gillard told him Nizam Khan had gone to his (Gillard) taxi service and removed two radio sets. He said he was unaware of Nizam Khan threatening to pull his gun on Gillard.
“He didn’t say that, he said Nizam tried to shoot him, that’s all he said,” the senior superintendent said. Additionally, Das made it clear that he was never told by Gillard about the plot to assassinate the President.

Das told the commission too that he was uncertain whether Baldeo and Adams voluntarily went to the police and gave information, or whether they were sought after by the police.
“The police did their investigation, but they came and give statements to the police, but I don’t know how the police came to take statements from them,” Das said.

Attorney Christopher Ram who represented the interest of Imran Khan, had questioned if part of what he told the Commission was “hearsay” and was told yes.
Ram reminded the deputy crime chief that “hearsay” is of no evidential value.

“My understanding is that the role of an investigator is to find facts, is that correct? It is not to corroborate, is that correct?” Ram asked and was told “yes” by Das.
However, in a report compiled by Das, he had concluded that based on the facts gathered, Gillard’s allegation though very serious, was indeed a “malicious one.”