Army admits involvement in surveillance activity

Pyle was “legitimately” supporting SOCU – GDF

Robert Pyle

BY MICHAEL YOUNGE

The Government of Guyana and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) on Tuesday attempted explain their involvement in what appears to be a very quasi-political operation, aimed at targeting the Head of the National Industrial and Commercial Limited (NICIL) Winston Brassington under the guise of carrying out a Police investigation, following the completion of a forensic audit at the entity.
The Defence Force was forced to admit that one of its Sergeants, Robert Pyle, was deployed to be part of a “legitimate” operation in support of the Special Organised Crime Fighting Unit (SOCU).
Plye and his wife died on December 30 while chasing a vehicle which they believed had links to Brassington.
The vehicle was being driven by a young man who was not related to Brassington. His sister was an occupant in the car. It was reportedly seen in the vicinity of Brassington’s Kingston, Georgetown home on the night Plye and special ranks were staking out the property.
After failing to block the vehicle from taking off, Plye and other special ranks in a second vehicle tailed it all

Winston Brassington

the way to Carifesta Avenue where another attempt was made to block it from proceeding further.
But this time, one of the two vehicles giving chase slammed into a vehicle which was being driven by civilian Linden Eastman. He subsequently died on the spot as a result of the impact, according to reports.
In a very brief statement to the media, the GDF, finally breaking its silence following public outrage and mounting criticisms, claimed that there was nothing sinister about its involvement in the probe being conducted by SOCU.
It argued that it was “normal” for the Defence Force to offer support to other law enforcement bodies on operations of a similar nature.
The GDF then alleged that Plye who was a member of its Special Intelligence Unit was working as part of Operation Dragnet which was an initiative announced last year by Government to tackle the out-of-control crime situation in the country.
The GDF’s release did not clarify who made the request for assistance and whether other ranks were also deployed officially to be part of the SOCU role.
When contacted, GDF Chief-of-Staff Mark Phillips remained tight-lipped and refused to cooperate with Guyana Times, pointing this newspaper to the release that was sent out earlier.
Soon after, this newspaper learnt that SOCU did not make an official request through the right channel for whatever support it felt it needed during the probe.
SOCU, the Guyana Police Force and the Government to a lesser extent, have remained mum on the entire incident and political undertones that are emanating as the fiasco unfolds.
Also, there have been no explanations as to why Plye’s wife was in the vehicle with him while he was on a “legitimate” operation on December 30, 2015.
No statement has been forthcoming about the identity, status or location of the fourth accident victim, who was pulled from the car and rushed to receive medical attention.
Guyana Times learnt on Tuesday that President David Granger; Vice President with responsibility for public security, Khemraj Ramjattan; Brigadier Phillips and Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud were fully briefed on the matter for days but said nothing to the media.
During the 2015 General and Regional Elections, the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition had downplayed public concerns over its paramilitary fetishism which saw it employing the services of scores of former military and Police officials.
The coalition soon after was accused of attempting to subvert the independence of the Guyana Defence and Police Forces with the aim of achieving influence and control over their day to day operations and decisions of a certain nature.
The APNU and AFC then denied interfering but this most recent incident is being seen as having political roots because the Government has never hesitated to brand Brassington publicly as being aligned to the Opposition.