Former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and current PPP/C Members of Parliament Gail Teixeira, Irfaan Ali and Nigel Dharamlall have been questioned by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) in relation to the findings of NICIL’s forensic audit.
Opposition Chief Whip, Teixeira speaking at a press conference today held at Freedom House stated that she and the other three party members were notified that they were needed for questioning by inspectors who showed up at their homes without any previous notification.
Ali was the first to be questioned on January 6, followed by Dharamlall and Teixeira who were called in for Monday and Hinds who went in yesterday.
She stated that the other three party members were given a specific date to appear at SOCU head offices, however on Monday an inspector arrived at her home and told her of her same-day interview.
Teixeira told Stabroek News that she was under the impression that she had been under surveillance for days and that the inspectors that showed up at her door had been outside her home for over 20 minutes before making their presence known.
She said that the way in which the party members have been called in for questioning reeked of intimidation.
The opposition chief whip questioned the mandate of SOCU and why ranks from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) conducted the interviews at the SOCU head office on Camp Road. She said that since SOCU fell under the anti-money laundering legislation questions remain as to the nexus between the unit, the CID and the forensic audit of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL).
