Thomas tells Elections COI that TSU ranks “invaded” GECOM Command Centre without his prior knowledge

The Assistant Commissioner of Police admitted that sometime after the Command Centre was faced with a bomb threat, he told Commissioner Gunraj that he could no longer “protect” his life, because he was no longer in command, and heavily armed members of the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) had entered the building without his permission.

Thomas tells Elections COI that TSU ranks “invaded” GECOM Command Centre without his prior knowledge

Facing questions today for a third time about the mayhem and other issues that took place at the GECOM Command Centre during the last elections, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Edgar Thomas alleged that rogue elements within the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) had invaded the Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM’s) Command Centre at the Ashmin’s Building putting the life of the Elections Commissioner Sase Gunraj at risk of danger on March 5.

Mr Thomas made the ‘disclosure’ today while being cross-examined by the Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes, who is representing the interest of former Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO), Roxanne Myers.

The Assistant Commissioner of Police admitted that sometime after the Command Centre was faced with a bomb threat, he told Commissioner Gunraj that he could no longer “protect” his life, because he was no longer in command, and heavily armed members of the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) had entered the building without his permission.

“After my colleagues would have entered the Ashmin’s Building with their firearm, I know definitely I was unable to protect the life of the Mr Sase Gunraj,” the Assistant Police Commissioner said.

Asked to provide clarity, Mr Thomas told the Commission that heavily armed ranks of the TSU were rogue and were a clear threat to the Election Official.

“After my colleagues, police officers, would have entered the Ashmin’s Building, heavily armed, I would have said to Mr Gunraj that I could no longer protect his life and safety because I was no longer in control of their operation,” he said.

Mr Thomas said he considered the heavily armed ranks to be a threat to Mr Gunraj because he considered them to be “rogue.” According to him, though he was the Divisional Commander, he was not informed that the TSU ranks were being sent to the Command Centre nor did he request their assistance.

However, while appearing concerned about the safety of Mr Gunraj, Mr Thomas told the Commission that he wasn’t of the view that the situation threatened the life of the other occupants in the building. According to him, at the time, he saw no other Election Commissioner or Official, and was therefore only concerned for the life and safety of Mr Gunraj.

 But Mr Hughes reminded him that prior to his engagement with Mr  Gunraj, there was “significant chaos” in the very Command Center involving the Office of the Chairman of the GECOM, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh.

Mr Thomas while admitting that there were people behaving in a disorderly manner on the outskirts of the Chairman’s Office, said he would not consider that chaos.

“My understanding is that there was a controllable circumstance,” he said, while maintaining that he never ventured to the upper flat of the building where the Chairman was located, and had been locked in an Office.

“What I know for sure, is that officers were placed at various aspects of the building,” he said while adding that there were also police officers outside of her office, and as such, there was no need for him to go there.

“My understanding is that she was safely placed in the room,” he told Mr Hughes.

During his earlier testimony in November, Mr Thomas, while indicating that that there was a bomb threat at the Command Centre on March 5, 2020, had accused the police of barring election and other officials from entering the building on the instruction of his Deputy, Senior Superintendent Phillip Azore, even as the then DCEO was “evicting” persons out of the building.

However, as he was being cross-examined by Mr Hughes, he acknowledged that in the event of a bomb threat, persons are required to vacate the building under threat in keeping with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Mr Thomas had arrived at the Command Centre after the arrival of the Bomb Squad, and according to him, his attempts to clear the building were futile.

Asked by Mr Hughes, if there came a time when he felt that the situation had become dangerous in light of the fact there was a bomb threat and had contained a large number of people, Mr Thomas responded in the affirmative.

However, the Assistant Commissioner told the Commission that later that day he did not form the opinion that the lives of persons had been endangered, though admitting that he told Mr Gunraj that he could no longer protect his life.

When asked pointedly, whether he felt that Ms Myers by asking that the building be cleared at around 18:00hrs that day, had ulterior motive,  Mr Thomas said he was unable to answer the question.

The Commission’s Legal Counsel, objected to the question put to Mr Thomas. The Chairman of the Commission, Trinidad and Tobago Retired Justice of Appeal, Stanley John and former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Carl Singh also cautioned Mr Hughes about this line of questioning. Mr Hughes was told that he was there to question the witness on matters that implicated his client, and not to question the witness on the totality of the elections.

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