Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall says he sees active attempts to connect the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) to extrajudicial killings in Guyana, a tactic he views as a deliberate effort to undermine the party ahead of national elections. Nandlall responded sharply to such claims during his weekly “Issues In the News” broadcast.
Nandlall referred to APNU presidential candidate Aubrey Norton’s remarks at a recent Emancipation Day event, where Norton said that if elected, his party would launch a broad investigation into alleged extrajudicial killings stretching back to the early 2000s—specifically highlighting unresolved cases including the murder of a sitting government minister. The Attorney General noted that similar promises were made in 2015 under the previous coalition government, yet no inquiry materialized.
Nandlall accused Norton of hypocrisy, citing former President David Granger’s administration, when he said, there was no evidence or follow-up on such allegations despite assurances to conduct inquiries. “This level of duplicity, deceit and rank doltishness is what I am speaking about,” Nandlall said.
Guyana’s history with extrajudicial killings dates back to the early 2000s, a period of national crisis ignited by a mass prison break in February 2002. This event triggered widespread violence and gave rise to armed gangs like the so-called “Phantom Squad,” “Death Squad,” and units embedded in police forces—groups that Amnesty International and others have accused of executing killings without due process.
International human rights bodies have repeatedly called for formal investigations into these events. The United Nations Human Rights Committee, in 2024, expressed concern over the lack of prosecutions or accountability for deaths occurring between 2002 and 2006. Civil society organizations such as IFAAD continue to urge the government to deliver on promises to establish a Commission of Inquiry into these alleged killings—including the 2006 assassination of prominent Agriculture Minister Satyadeow Sawh, which remains unresolved.
Conversely, Nandlall has stated that the current PPP government is open to investigation, including calls for inquiries into the 2000 killing of activist Courtney Crum-Ewing. He criticized those behind such claims for not facilitating the investigations they demand.
In legislative sessions, Nandlall also countered accusations that PPP governments have conducted extrajudicial killings by pointing to official figures: “Between 2015 to 2020 … 41 persons died in police custody or at the hands of the police”—a period under the APNU/AFC administration.
Guyana’s early-2000s crime wave—spanning violent gangs, extrajudicial killings, and high-profile assassinations—represents one of the most turbulent chapters in its modern history. Official negligence, uninvestigated allegations, and a lack of accountability continue to fuel political tension and mistrust, particularly during election campaigns.
As the political discourse heats up ahead of the upcoming elections, calls for justice remain low-key on enforcement, while parties exchange accusations. For many observers, a transparent, properly mandated inquiry remains a vital step toward national reconciliation and the restoration of public confidence.
