ECD man remanded to prison for threatening to kill President

Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Monday afternoon remanded a 64-year-old man who reportedly threatened President David Granger’s life.
Motilall Balkarran of Triumph, East Coast Demerara (ECD), appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and denied the charge.
The charge against him stated that on March 20, 2018, he made calls to the 911 emergency line at the Brickdam Police Station and threatened to kill President Granger.

It is further alleged that he made use of threatening language by calling the 911 telephone line and threatening to kill the President.
Balkarran reportedly threatened to take a bomb to the Ministry of the Presidency.
In court on Monday, Balkarran was represented by Attorney-at-Law Tiffany Jeffrey, who made a bail application on the ground that the call was placed from an address where several persons live.
Owing to the fact that there is no voice recognition system at the Brickdam Station, Jeffrey said in the bail application, it is not clear who made the call.
Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield objected to bail being granted, noting the seriousness of the offence.
Chief Magistrate McLennan denied bail and remanded the 64-year-old to prison. The case will continue on April 16.
The matter was transferred to the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.
Two other men are also expected to be charged shortly for the same offence.
This is not the first instance persons have been charged for similar offences. Back in 2016, 52-year-old Safoora Salim, of Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), was charged for using Facebook to issue threatening and derogatory statements against the Head of State.
Acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine had confirmed last November that they were investigating reports of an inmate at the Lusignan Prison calling the 911 emergency line and threatening to kill President Granger along with officers of the Police Force.
Back in March last year, reports surfaced of an alleged plot to assassinate the Head of State and some $7 million was allegedly offered to carry out the act. After several weeks of Police investigations, President Granger ordered a Commission of Inquiry into the alleged assassination plot. The Commission found that while some aspects of the allegation have a “ring of truth, it was not confirmed during the inquiry”.