‘If a wrong has been done… let Mr Jones sue’

Attorney General Anil Nandlall has defended the actions of the police during their probe of the alleged larceny of state assets by former Director of Sports Christopher Jones.

Nandlall said if Jones believes that “a wrong” was done, then he could sue his office.

“…I don’t run the police force. The police force is an independent agency of the state. If a wrong has been done to Mr Jones, let Mr Jones sue the Attorney General but the police acted in the way they did, they had the document, they wanted to take custody or to verify custody of the assets that prima facie belongs to the state and they went about to do that,” Nandlall stated.

He was at the time responding to questions during a virtual press conference yesterday morning, According to Nandlall, there is nothing “special” about Jones.During the police’s visit to Jones residence, Nandlall said he was very confrontational and allegedly abused the ranks. “…I didn’t see the police do anything wrong… but when he started to—I am told he was very confrontation and abusive—that’s how the police operate,” Nandlall said.

Jones was arrested on Friday morning, hours after his lawyer secured an order barring the law enforcers from entering his Georgetown home without a warrant.

Vanloads of lawmen had turned up at Jones’ house around 6.30pm on Thursday and had attempted to enter his yard but Jones questioned if they had a warrant. They had none and remained outside the house after a large crowd had gathered, including members of the APNU+AFC coalition.

At around 12.30 Friday morning, the police allegedly broke a lock and entered his home, arresting him and removing the boxes. Jones was on Friday released on $100,000 station bail.

The manner in which police carried out the operation, including the deployment of dozens of ranks, an attempt to execute a search without a warrant and their alleged disregard for a court order barring them from proceeding, sparked public outrage and condemnation as a stain on the new Irfaan Ali-led PPP/C administration. David Granger, the leader of the PNCR, which is Jones’ party, called the operation a coordinated political attack. Jones has shared this position. 

The items which were seized were purchased as part of a $4 million government funded project under the Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) programme.