(Trinidad Guardian) The death threat made against Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi came from someone behind prison walls by a man already facing a murder charge on the high-profile matter.
Guardian Media was able to confirm that the man’s father is also being monitored by police as he has been trying to meet with Al-Rawi to demand a speedy trial for his son.
According to information confirmed by Guardian Media, the prisoner’s father has called the Attorney General’s office repeatedly and even showed up at the AG’s Port-of-Spain office, seeking a meeting.
The father is affiliated with a well-known religious group near Arima and had been detained alongside another Imam back in 2015 and questioned about a murder. Both men were subsequently released without charge.
The prisoner’s father is currently under police surveillance and has been on the police radar since he was detained again in 2018 to answer questions about kidnapping and assault.
Guardian Media learned yesterday that the prisoner’s father and the incarcerated man are contending that the murder trial was being delayed deliberately.
Last year, the murder accused and several other inmates were subjected to a prison search in which cellphones and other contraband were removed from their cells.
The men were made to strip naked and kneel outside the cells while it was searched.
That search of the Golden Grove prison came just one day after a prison officer was killed and reports that that order to kill came from inside the prison. At that time, Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith said that there would be a lockdown of information and contraband moving in and out of the prison to prevent “shots” from being ordered behind prison walls.
However, according to information received by Guardian Media, the contract to kill the Attorney General came from the Maximum Security Prison, in Golden Grove, Arouca.
On Friday, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley revealed that back in 2015, just before the general election, there were two hits on his head. He also revealed then that during a recent security meeting at his new White Hall office, he learned of a plot to kill the Attorney General.
On Saturday, Al-Rawi confirmed that he received death threats but said it was in the hands of the police and he did not want to say more on the issue.
Rowley moved the Prime Ministers’ office back to White Hall at the beginning of September, which means that news of the death threat against Al-Rawi was raised within the last six weeks.
Griffith also confirmed both the reported hits on Rowley and the hit on Al-Rawi.
He would only say then that the police are looking into it.
On Friday, on a political platform in Belmont, Minister of National Security Stuart Young said that he had documentary evidence that members of the United National Congress (UNC) were in talks with inmates and locked-up gang-leaders.
He did not respond to subsequent questions from Guardian Media for proof of his claims.
He also did not respond to questions about what action was taken against the men who came forward admitting to being killers for hire in Rowley’s case.
