Rohee cusses Kaieteur News for uncovering fraud in police force
Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee opted to abuse the messenger than to deal with the issue. At hand was the issue of corruption within the Guyana Police Force. Kaieteur News had reported that the hierarchy in the Guyana Police Force had opted to cover up reports of corruption.
Kaieteur News had reported that there was massive fraud at the auction held by the Force. There was misrepresentation of amounts paid for the articles and items sold. In many cases the money paid was less than the final bidding price.
A businessman, whom the Home Affairs Ministry dubbed a ‘whistleblower,’ had come forward to report on the illegality. He said that his decision was prompted by the fact that he recognized that the people involved would stop at nothing to carry out the activity.
He spoke of approaching Minister Rohee, first, with the news that people were paying less than the final sum bid. He said that instead of reaching the Minister, he was given a ‘royal runaround’ by the Minister’s Secretary.
He said that when this happened he went to Kaieteur News to get the story out.
The man also approached Office of the President and it was there that he noticed that action was taken.
Indeed, after the intervention of Office of the President, the Ministry of Home Affairs mounted an investigation.
“As far as the Ministry of Home Affairs is concerned whether, the expose resulted from a “whistle blower”, Facebook, the Office of the President; the Ministry of Home Affairs or the Media; the fact of the matter is that information surfaced alleging wrongdoing at the auction of vehicles belonging to the Guyana Police Force.”
Minister Rohee then launched an attack against Kaieteur News.
In a statement from the Home Affairs Ministry, yesterday, Rohee said, “Monday’s Kaieteur News front page story exposed once again its cloven hooves. It was a brazen attempt by Kaieteur News to cover up for those who were involved in the wrong doing and those who are paid in exchange for information about the Guyana Police Force.
It is no secret that the Kaieteur News pays cash in exchange for information about happenings within the Force.
While the Kaieteur News wants people to believe it is fighting corruption, it is in fact encouraging corruption within the Force by offering “big bucks” in exchange for information about happenings within the Guyana Police Force.
“Try as desperately, cynically or cleverly as it may, every reader of the Kaieteur News knows that that newspaper offers cash for information about the Guyana Police Force. To try now to cover up for its corrupt concubinage with some ranks within the Force by floating its “whistle blower” and by making the public claim that the Ministry of Home Affairs attempted to cover up the matter will convince no one.”
It was only yesterday that Minister acknowledged the existence of the whistleblower. In a previous statement he blamed “disloyal ranks within the Force” who he said “make it appear as if the Kaieteur News is an anti-corruption tribune and a paragon of virtue.”
Yesterday, Minister Rohee stated, “The Ministry of Home Affairs wishes to emphasize that the Kaieteur News’ “whistle blower” is no mystery man. He is well known at the Ministry of Home Affairs. Only a few weeks ago he was on the phone to the Ministry enquiring about the status of the investigation into the alleged wrong doings in connection with the same auction.’
And even as Rohee was accusing policemen of leaking information the ‘whistleblower said,” The police are not leaking information to the Kaieteur News. I was the person who was in contact with the newspaper because I wanted to expose what was taking place.
“I personally gave Kaieteur News the information before the police investigation started.”
