Acting Police Commissioner has described as “one set of foolishness” reports that arrests have been made in connection with the murder of defence attorney Dana Seetahal SC. Williams said in an interview yesterday there was no truth to reports that a man was arrested in the Arima district and is being held under tight security as a main suspect in Seetahal’s killing.
“It is not fair to society. There is a consistent flow of mis-information being spread through the media. The public will be made aware when there is a major development,” he said. Williams said the public is being traumatised further by the incorrect reports one week after being traumatised by Seetahal’s murder. He said the investigation is speeding ahead and he is making all resources available to the officers investigating the matter.
Reports of an arrest were also denied by National Security Minister Gary Griffith, who said the fact that the security threat level had been lowered from amber to green yesterday had nothing to do with a suspect in custody. He explained the decision was made to lower the alert after security assessments were done. The minister further revealed that “certain systems” had been put in place which warrant the reduction of the threat.
The amber national security alert was effected following the May 4 killing of Seetahal. In a press release yesterday, the Ministry of National security announced that the alert had reverted to green with immediate effect.
The ministry said the National Operations Centre (NOC) advised the National Security Council to revert to the green alert which means there is a vague threat to national security. The decision was taken after stringent measures were employed by the various arms of the ministry after Seetahal’s killing and following a review of the risk and threat factor. Government recently implemented a colour-coded national security alert to indicate the level of a national security threat. The alert level colour significance is as follows:
• White - No Danger
• Green - Vague Threat
• Yellow - Possible Threat
• Orange - High Chance of Threat
Lead investigator in the Seetahal case ACP Wayne Dick said in an interview he is not aware of any major developments in relation to the prominent attorney’s murder. He said if and when any development occurs he will personally call media houses and inform them. Deputy Commissioner of Police Glenn Hackett, who is in charge of crime and under whose supervision the investigation is being done, said his information was not what was reported.
While there have been an arrest in the Arima area, senior officers denied that the person was held in connection with Seetahal’s murder. Another police source close to the investigations complained that such reports are hampering investigations and have been “throwing us off”. Seetahal, an attorney for 34 years, was shot dead just after midnight on May 4 at Hamilton Holder Street, Woodbrook, as she was driving to her home at One Woodbrook Place.