The Guyana Government has confirmed that it has been informed by the US Authorities of a probe being done against it by the FBI in wake of allegations made by New York-based political and rights activist Rickford Burke.

In a statement this afternoon, the Government said it has been informed by the US Authorities that Mr. Burke lodged a formal complaint with a Department within the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) alleging that he is being persecuted by the Guyana Government.

The Government said it is pleased that the activist has engaged the law enforcement agencies in the United States, and in return it has responded to the report refuting the allegations made by Burke as “absolutely false and wholly unfounded and considers them to constitute a malicious attack on the integrity, reputation, good name and international standing of the Government of Guyana”.

In its response to the FBI investigations, the Government has made a number of allegations of its own against Burke, accusing him of alleged cyber crimes and alleged acts of extortion against businessmen in Guyana.

The Government also said the allegations against Burke currently have the attention of the local Courts, and it has denied playing any part in any of the allegations leveled against him.

The Government said it has now invited the FBI to thoroughly investigate the complaint made by Mr. Burke and should the allegations be found to be false, the FBI should take action against Burke for filing a malicious complaint.

The statement said the Government views the matter very seriously and is already in consultation with lawyers in the United States seeking the appropriate legal advice with a view of pursuing legal redress against Mr. Burke.

Speaking to News Source this afternoon from New York, Mr. Burke said the Government is now trying to wield its way out of the serious investigation being conducted against it by the US Government through the FBI.

“The statement by the Attorney General’s office is fantastic and wildly fanciful. I have never seen such concocted nonsense in my life. And I think the Government of Guyana believes that the United States Government is like them, where they just make up things and they go based on that. First of all, the United States Government has thoroughly investigated this matter over the last two years. We have met with the FBI several times, based on this very complaint, and several FBI agents have been investigating this matter, and I have been saying that for the longest while without giving details”, Burke said.

He said he is pleased that the Government is now fully aware that it is being investigated by the US authorities.

The political activist also challenged the Government to release the full correspondence it got from the FBI to the public, since it has now thrown the matter into the public domain.

“I challenge the Attorney General, don’t hide behind a statement, release the information to the public. Now this matter is in the public, it is an international matter, so release it”, he said.

Burke denied the allegations that have been made against him in relation to cyber crimes and extortion. He said he has not visited Guyana in 25 years but will continue his fight for the rights of Guyanese, especially the Afro Guyanese community.

“I challenge the Government of Guyana. Their credibility is now on the line. They have written all of this nonsense and fabricated all of this stuff, because I am a champion for the rights of Afro-Guyanese, and they think they can frame me with a crime, send two gunmen to my house and then expect us in the United States to accept it, and mind you , Bharrat Jagdeo had said there was no investigation that I was lying, but now the Government has acknowledged that they are under investigation by the FBI”, Mr. Burke told News Source.

Just last week, the Guyana Police Force issued a long statement detailing the testimony of a co-operating witness in an extortion case, that names Mr. Burke as one of the defendants.

Burke has dismissed the matter as political persecution and has challenged the Government to present the evidence of all of its claims to the public.

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