– stripped of State protection, left to the mercy of criminals

By Devina Samaroo

Former Commissioner General of Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Khurshid Sattaur believes he narrowly

Former Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority Khurshid Sattaur

escaped death after a vehicle allegedly driven by a tax-evader nearly ran him off the road Saturday afternoon.
Now no longer protected by security from the State, Sattaur feels he is now at “the mercy of criminals”, who he had aggressively pursued for being in violation of the law whilst he headed the country’s tax body.
During an interview with Guyana Times shortly after the incident, Sattaur related that someone driving a black Lexus SUV attempted to run him off the road as he left his home in Ogle, East Coast Demerara.
He recollected that the vehicle was in front of him but when they passed the traffic light at the Railway Embankment, the driver suddenly pulled into the corner.
Sattaur explained that after he drove ahead, the vehicle accelerated behind him and eventually moved up alongside in an attempt to drive him off the road.
He noted too that all the while, the driver was showing him the middle finger.
“I could have ran off the road and killed myself. I am still shaken from this,” Sattuar declared.
The former Tax boss said he got a fair glimpse of the driver, who he believes might have been someone whose vehicle he had ordered seized last year after it was found to be using a fake registration plate and was involved in a remigrant scheme fraud.
“And now this guy seems to want to get back at me. This man could have killed me,” Sattaur lamented.
He added that he was driving the government’s vehicle and had the car been damaged, he would have been subjected to a significant amount of expense to repair it.

State protection
The former GRA boss was also deeply concerned over the fact he is now without protection from the State.
“I have been going after criminals and whilst I was on the job, I was protected by the State. I have been unceremoniously terminated and now all my State protection has been removed and I am now left at the mercy of these criminals who I have had caused to run into and I am not happy about it,” Sattaur vented.
In fact, he indicated that he only found out that he is without State protection after the incident occurred and he made a report to his ‘previous’ law enforcement officers and was told that they cannot take action.
“I don’t understand this nonsense… it is scary that all my protection has been removed,” he stressed.
Moreover, Sattaur expressed hope that the man who tried to run him off the road would be arrested and charged for attempting to kill him.
“It is a serious matter. I am seriously contemplating my safety and wellbeing without security right now,” he stated. Guyana Times understands that the matter was reported to the Sparendaam Police Station and the Police have confirmed reciept of the reportand have launched an investigation.