He reiterated earlier comments that the “person who has the tape” has refused to give a statement to the police — a reference to social activist Mark Benschop. The President told reporters during a press conference on Friday last that the police are still trying to find the boy. “If the media can find him I would appreciate that,” Jagdeo said.
But the Head-of-State went further in his comments on the issue saying that he found it unusual that someone would be condemned, tried and hung even before an investigation was completed. Jagdeo said he had spoken previously about “these kangaroo courts and lynching people”. Still on the issue he questioned, “Why is it we can’t find this person? Why can’t the person surface? Why can’t the media find this person since you are so resourceful, the police can’t?”
He stressed that he has taken the matter seriously referring to it as a serious allegation, adding that the matter simply cannot move forward.
Previously, Benschop, speaking on behalf of the family, had said that the boy was fearful of going public but his mother was willing to cooperate with police on behalf of her son.
On the issue of whether he is willing to cooperate with police, Benschop said the police have no time with him. He said the officers who approached him a short while ago were “more concerned about some phone call [McCoy] made to Kaieteur News. I am willing to take a lie-detector test in this matter,” he added.
The United States recently revoked McCoy’s non-immigrant visa and he is of the opinion that the most likely reason for such action would be the current allegations against him, allegations which he dismissed as unfounded. The President had no comment on the visa revocation when quizzed on it on Friday saying that it was a US matter.
A taped conversation between an adult and a child surfaced in September and on the recording, the two speakers discuss plans for a sexual liaison. McCoy, who is also a member of the Rights of the Child Commission and a PPP/C Region Four Regional Democratic Council representative has denied that it is his voice on the recording, and deemed it a clear fabrication aimed at “smearing my character and family name”.
