Assassination allegations
…now MIA as Police seek clarity
A well-known barber of Grove, East Bank Demerara, who accused two businessmen of hiring him to assassinate President David Granger, is now proverbially missing in action.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum confirmed that the Police have made several checks for the man, but have to conclude he is nowhere around. Because of the sensitive nature of the case, the Crime Chief did not divulge any further information, but is optimistic that the Police will apprehend him in due course. 
Guyana Times understands that, unless the complainant makes himself available to the Police for further questioning, the probe would unavoidably remain at a standstill.
A source close to the investigation told Guyana Times that the complainant is no ordinary “con” man. Reports received are that the man allegedly owes some businessmen in excess of $8M, which he had borrowed to pay off debts when he first started his mining operation. He has reportedly failed to repay the money at the stipulated deadline. After some time had elapsed and he had not repaid the money, his creditors – whom he has accused of paying him to assassinate the President – had approached him to enquire about their money; and based on his inability to repay the money, and moreso out of fear of what the men are capable of doing, he (allegedly) levelled the allegation against them, the source revealed.
This barber had reportedly worked with the businessmen he has implicated for some time prior to opening his own mining concession a few years ago. These businessmen have already been interrogated by members of the Major Crimes Unit of the Guyana Police Force, and Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud said on Friday last that the case file was sent to the legal minds for advice and had been returned for clarification on statements given by the complainant and a witness.
He explained that those clarifications were expected to have been completed over the past weekend, and the file was to have been resent to the legal advisor, but this phase of the investigation is now expected to take much longer.
Persaud was also adamant that any threats made against the Head of State of a country much be taken seriously, and additional security is accordingly being provided the President by the Guyana Police Force whenever he has an outdoor event.
The matter involving the alleged plot to assassinate the President was first brought to light by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, at a weekly post-cabinet press briefing. He had noted that the Ministry of the Presidency was made aware of the alleged plot to assassinate the President, and the matter was being investigated by the police. Moments after the press briefing, the interview with the complainant making the allegation was released on social media and later televised on a local newscast.
In that interview, the barber revealed that he was offered $7M and given a “long black gun” by a businessman to carry out the job of assassinating the President, but he had declined the offer.
He claimed that, as a businessman, he had approached this businessman — a gold dealer living on the East Bank of Demerara — for a loan, and it was then the discussions were held about the possible assassination.
With this barber now proverbially missing in action, the authenticity or falsity of this allegation cannot be determined.
