Cops blame Seukeran over foiled ‘sting’

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Dennis Graham, yesterday said Junior Trade Minister Diane Seukeran technically foiled a sting operation to arrest the persons who beat and stole her driver’s cellular phone. ACP Graham was responding to accusations by the driver’s wife, Deborah Francois, that the police were unprofessional and delinquent in their investigations. Francois also accused the police of putting her life in danger. The top cop came in defence of his officers yesterday stating: “Southern Division is a very professional body and would not put anyone’s life in danger but I take strict objection to public officials who feel otherwise and want to interfere with the police inquiry,” he said.

Graham said he believes Seukeran told Francois not to go through with the sting operation. “She (Seukeran) foiled the operation on Wednesday. If there wasn’t any type of interference, the crime would have been solved,” he said. Seukeran’s driver, Russell Wilson, was discharged from the San Fernando General Hospital yesterday after spending four days being treated for a fractured skull and brain haemorrhaging. He was attacked outside a KFC outlet at Library Corner in San Fernando last Sunday. Francois explained that on Wednesday she followed police instructions and arranged to meet with the person who had her husband’s cell phone.

She said she even gave the man a full description of herself but when she went to the San Fernando CID to meet the officers, she was told that they stepped out and she could not wait in the station. “The bandits know what I look like. Suppose they send somebody by the station to see if I gone to the police,” she charged. Francois said she got very angry and scared and left. When contacted yesterday, Seukeran said under no circumstances would she interfere with police procedure. In fact, Seukeran said, she encouraged Francois to work with the police and follow their instructions, which Francois did. Seukeran said she hoped the ACP would clarify his statements since she always had the best relationship and respect for the police.