The owner of IAM Company Limited is again denying his company delayed handing over CCTV footage from the Charlotte Street store to police investigating the disappearance of bank clerk Shannon Banfield last week.
In an interview with CNC3 at his company's headquarters at the Trincity Industrial Estate, Macoya, yesterday businessman Ishmael Ali said calls for a boycott of his company were unfair, as he maintained the police failed to contact him and his son for access to the footage before Banfield's decomposing body was eventually found in the store's stockroom last Thursday.
He rejected claims from T&T Police Service (TTPS) stating the company had not been forthcoming with the footage despite three requests from investigators.
"The police had all the power to find out who is the owner of IAM and Company and contact me and tell us what is the problem. They never contacted me at any time until I heard about the body in the store on Thursday," he said.
Ali claimed it was only after Banfield's body was found that he learnt the police had visited the store hours after Banfield was reported missing and requested access to the store's CCTV footage without specifically saying why they were making the request.
"It is only then I learned that police came on Tuesday and was asking about the DVR and the girls in the store told them that they cannot allow them to go in there because my son has the password," Ali said, as he claimed his son was never contacted as well.
Ali also suggested that police should have been more forceful and insistent in their bid to obtain the footage.
Responding to criticism of his company levelled by acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams, Ali said: "We cooperate with the police all the time. He (Williams) is defending his officers. Police have all power to get a search warrant very quickly and come into my place right away."
Commenting on calls on social media for a boycott his business, Ali said he had been made a scapegoat.
"They found a dead girl in my store so they will automatically point fingers at me and try to blame me for everything," he said.
"I have 50 years in business and am a man of character. We employ over 100 people and have been on Charlotte Street for over 25 years now. I don't see how they jump to boycott us for this, because it is not our fault and we are so sorry." Ali also said he was in no rush to reopen the store.
"I will never think to rush to open my store. Reopening for Christmas is the last thing on my mind. People say I don't care about the girl. How could I? I have a daughter and 10 grandchildren and we all have not slept properly since this," he said.
However, the TTPS last night stood by its claims last week that they attempted access the footage at least three times.