The Opposition People’s National Movement is crying more dirty politics after thieves broke into the office of Pointe-a-Pierre candidate Neil Mohammed on Sunday night, stealing business documents and $95,000.
This comes a day after PNM PRO Faris Al-Rawi called on the United National Congress (UNC) to condemn acts of political vandalism and violence following a report of UNC supporters burning his banner and assaulting an activist at Embacadere, San Fernando, on the weekend.
However, Southern Division Snr Supt Irwin Hackshaw said yesterday the robbery at Mohammed’s office did not appear to be political, describing it as “pure banditry.” He said an investigation was taking place and police already have a suspect in mind.
Mohammed’s office is located at his family’s business place, Fens of Marabella, Union Road, Marabella, where he is a director.
Operations co-ordinator at the company, Fitzgerald Lalla, said it was the second time in four days the office was broken into as thieves made their way onto the roof of the neighbouring building and prised open a window. Lalla said they then tampered with the CCTV cameras and ransacked the office.
He said nothing could have been done to increase security at the time and between Sunday night and yesterday morning the suspects returned, this time breaking the window. Two locked cabinets which were located near the kitchen were forced open and the money stolen.
Speaking by telephone yesterday, Mohammed said while he did not have any evidence to point fingers at a political party, he said it was strange that those things began happening only when he became a full-fledged candidate of the PNM.
He recalled that on Nomination Day, there were newspaper reports that claimed he was being sued. However, he said, there were no court documents to suggest that legal action was taken against him.
He added: “I can’t put my finger on anything that it has to do with the election but what I can say is that I find it coincidental that these events never happened to me before and they are happening now in quick succession.
“It is happening a few days before the election. Now people broke in the office this morning and we lost some stuff and money but it also begs to question whether people could come in here and plant anything and disguise it as a robbery or something else.”
He added that his office was also broken into last week Thursday.
“Why are you coming in so often, if you came in the first time, what motivated you to return? I can tell you in the ten months that I have been running as a candidate, I read in the Voice newspaper and other publications here and there on the nets, all kinds of silly things being said,” Mohammed said.