EAST COAST DEMERARA — Firebrand APNU campaigner and Member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul has made it clear: if the A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) returns to government after the September 1, 2025 elections, the current leadership of the police force will be removed, and the rape allegation involving PPP/C candidate Nigel Dharamlall will be reopened.
At a public rally on the East Coast, Mahipaul didn’t mince words. “If Dharamlall must go to jail to pick up soap, so be it,” he declared to loud cheers from the crowd.
Mahipaul’s comments follow a pattern of tough-talking promises from the coalition, which has increasingly framed the PPP/C government as one that protects its own while undermining justice and institutional accountability.
His remarks also build on earlier statements made at the party’s campaign launch, where APNU figures vowed to fire the current Commissioner of Police, citing political interference and the selective handling of high-profile cases.
Dharamlall, the former Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, resigned in 2024 after a 16-year-old schoolgirl accused him of rape in a formal letter to President Irfaan Ali.
The complaint later circulated on social media and prompted widespread public outrage. Although the teenager later indicated that she did not wish to proceed further with the matter, Dharamlall’s return as a PPP/C candidate for the 2025 elections has reignited controversy.
APNU has seized on the issue as a symbol of what it calls the PPP/C’s disregard for public trust and justice.“ A man was accused of raping a child. He resigned. And now he’s back on the ballot. What does that say about the party’s moral compass?” Mahipaul asked the crowd.
Calls for the case to be reopened have resurfaced amid growing concerns over the independence of the Guyana Police Force. APNU has pledged that under its government, not only will there be accountability for unresolved allegations, but a full house-cleaning will begin at the top.
“The Commissioner of Police will be the first to go,” Mahipaul said earlier in the campaign, referencing what the coalition claims is politically directed law enforcement under the current administration.The PPP/C has so far remained silent on Dharamlall’s candidacy, despite criticism from civil society groups and the political opposition.
With elections fast approaching, Mahipaul’s message signals a more aggressive stance by APNU, one rooted in restoring credibility to institutions, reopening unresolved high-profile cases, and removing politically aligned officials from key posts.
As the campaign heats up, the rhetoric is sharpening, and APNU is making it clear that, if elected, justice will be back on the table.
