WIN yesterday called for an independent investigation into the shooting incident involving Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and the subsequent discovery of a firearm in his vehicle, with Public Accounts Committee Chairman Vishnu Pandey questioning how the weapon was found after extensive searches.
At a press conference convened by the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, representatives demanded the release of Mohamed and staff members Mario Mohamed and Eugene Thorne. The office also issued a statement alleging an assassination attempt, physical assaults and death threats, and accusing the government of presenting disputed allegations as established facts.
The government, in its statement on Tuesday night, asserted that gunshots came from the vehicle outside Special Branch Head Senior Superintendent Prem Narine’s home and said the United States Department of Justice was being kept informed. It maintained that the State had a duty to protect witnesses and that the full force of the law would be applied.
Yesterday the party’s director of Political Affairs Hana Mohamed said the three men remained in custody as of midday Wednesday following Monday night’s incident near Narine’s Barr Street, Kitty residence.
Pandey said he was present during searches of the vehicle at Kitty Police Station and questioned the reported discovery of a firearm after officers and dogs had conducted extensive checks. According to his account, the car had already been searched at Vlissengen Road before being taken to the station.
Asked about his position during the searches, Pandey said he was approximately eight to ten feet from the car and had a clear view because of the lighting. He clarified that his reference to the dogs was intended to demonstrate the extent of the search, rather than establish their training or certification.
The opposition office’s statement alleged that no weapon was found during the initial search and that one was subsequently planted after the vehicle entered police custody. All three occupants, it said, denied possessing a weapon or firing at Narine.
It called for scrutiny of the vehicle’s movements, the identity of everyone who accessed it and the continuity of custody. CCTV footage, police communications, search records, fingerprints, DNA evidence, ballistic findings and gunshot residue examinations should be preserved and independently examined, the office said.
The office further alleged that Narine fired at the vehicle on two occasions and that he and masked men subsequently forced the occupants out at gunpoint, made them lie on the ground and beat them. It said Narine pointed his firearm at Mohamed and repeatedly threatened to kill him.
Those allegations, including the claim of an assassination attempt and planted evidence, have not been independently established.
The government’s statement gave a different account. It said Mohamed and his companions had been filming Narine’s home around midnight, that gunshots rang out from their car and that Narine responded with his service firearm. It said officers pursued and intercepted the vehicle, in which an unlicensed firearm was found.
The government described Narine as a critical witness in the Mohameds’ extradition proceedings and cited his earlier expressions of concern for his safety and that of his family. It also repeated allegations concerning killings and witness safety, which the opposition office rejected as prejudicial and disputed.
The office questioned the difference between the government’s assertion that shots came from the car and the initial police statement that Narine heard what appeared to be a gunshot before taking cover and firing. It argued that the government had not publicly presented independently verified forensic findings supporting its assertion.
Police said Narine observed a black Toyota Allion passing his residence before returning at approximately 11.45 pm. The initial statement did not identify who allegedly fired the first shot.
Police said the vehicle was intercepted at Vlissengen Road and Sandy Babb Street and that a search in the occupants’ presence uncovered a .32 Taurus pistol without a serial number and three live rounds. One .32 spent shell and four 9mm spent shells were reportedly recovered on Barr Street.
The force said the firearm, ammunition and shells were lodged for ballistic examination and that CCTV footage would be reviewed. Its initial statement did not address allegations of earlier unsuccessful searches, assaults, threats or the vehicle being left unsecured.
The opposition office argued that Narine’s role as a principal witness in the extradition proceedings required an investigation independent of the police hierarchy. It said his rank and status as a witness did not exempt his conduct from scrutiny.
It also objected to the government’s description of Thorne and Mario Mohamed as “henchmen”, saying they were publicly paid employees carrying out duties for the opposition office.
At the press conference, Pandey alleged that Mohamed was being politically targeted because of his scrutiny of alleged corruption and governance failures.
“There has never been a formidable opposition like the one which is headed by Mr. Azruddin Mohamed,” he said.
Asked by state media whether recordings or medical reports supported allegations of police abuse, representatives said further information concerning medical reports would be provided subsequently. Pandey said Mohamed had told them he had been brutalised.
The panel said Mohamed had access to his lawyers but alleged that he had been refused Panadol and was not receiving adequate medical attention. Representatives also claimed that the detained men were using cardboard boxes to sit or sleep on at Kitty Police Station.
Hana Mohamed declined questions on the advice of attorneys, saying the restriction was intended to protect the legal proceedings and the detainees’ rights. Other representatives answered questions, although the panel said it would await Mohamed’s account when asked why he had been near Narine’s home and how WIN responded to allegations of witness intimidation.
Representatives confirmed that they had contacted the diplomatic community and were awaiting a response. They urged supporters to remain calm and pursue peaceful demonstrations.
Protesters gathered outside Kitty Police Station on Wednesday night demanding Mohamed’s release.
The opposition office called for immediate access to independent medical examinations and maintained that any continued detention must have a lawful basis capable of independent review.
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