Acting Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Carla Brown-Antoine told the Express newspaper Saturday she received a copy of the contentious affidavit by Jamaat-al-Muslimeen leader Yasin Abu Bakr on May 6, in which he alleged that he had a deal with Prime Minister Patrick Manning.
A ruling by the Privy Council made reference to the affidavit which outlined details of meeting between Bakr and Manning as well as several top members of the governing People's National Movement (PNM).
Justice Rajendra Narine on Friday ruled that the DPP and the CoP should investigate the matter, saying no one is above the law.
In his ruling Narine noted that the Attorney General at the time never issued a denial about the allegations but that the AG described the document as "scandalous, irrelevant or otherwise oppressive".
The judge called the allegations "extremely serious".
Read the story: Judge orders probe of PM Manning...
Brown-Antoine, whose appointment to the post was vetoed by Prime Minister Patrick Manning, said she forwarded the affidavit to the acting Commissioner of Police (CoP), James Philbert.
But Philbert told the paper he has not seen the document. "I have not received anything personally," he told the paper. He said when he has the document he would give instructions for an investigation of the matter.
Bakr's affidavit is a political bombshell. The man who led a failed coup against the elected government in 1990 said certain people approached him ahead of the 2002 general election on behalf of Manning and suggested that the PNM leader would like to discuss certain issues pertaining to the election.
Bakr said he agreed to meet Manning and did so on several occasions at the PNM's Balisier House headquarters and at the PM's official residence.
He said the PNM needed his help with two principal issues: mobilising young people to vote in the 2002 election and reducing the high levels of crime. He said Manning agreed to a list of his demands, which included a promise to forgive the multi-million debt owing to the state.
Bakr claimed he delivered on his end but Manning reneged on his part of the deal.
The opposition UNC and the media reported numerous cases of voter intimidation in marginal seats in the 2002 election and lost two critical seats - Mayaro and San Fernando West.
In Tunapuna, the brother of candidate Carlos John was kidnapped, after which John's campaign was toned down. The PNM retained that seat. The San Fernando candidate, Sadiq Baksh, became the subject of a police investigation after he discovered cocaine and bombs planted in a water tank at his home.
The results were close in each of the three seats but none of the UNC candidates bothered to contest them.
This is how the votes went:
In a Privy council ruling, the British law Lords rejected Bakr's affidavit saying that it was irrelevant to the state's claim for compensation from Bakr, calling it a private matter between the PNm leader and Bakr.
However it acknowledged that if true it was a serious matter that would be a breach of the country''s anti-corruption law.
Read the story: Privy Council rules against T&T's Muslimeen
A ruling by the Privy Council made reference to the affidavit which outlined details of meeting between Bakr and Manning as well as several top members of the governing People's National Movement (PNM).
Justice Rajendra Narine on Friday ruled that the DPP and the CoP should investigate the matter, saying no one is above the law.
In his ruling Narine noted that the Attorney General at the time never issued a denial about the allegations but that the AG described the document as "scandalous, irrelevant or otherwise oppressive".
The judge called the allegations "extremely serious".
Read the story: Judge orders probe of PM Manning...
Brown-Antoine, whose appointment to the post was vetoed by Prime Minister Patrick Manning, said she forwarded the affidavit to the acting Commissioner of Police (CoP), James Philbert.
But Philbert told the paper he has not seen the document. "I have not received anything personally," he told the paper. He said when he has the document he would give instructions for an investigation of the matter.
Bakr's affidavit is a political bombshell. The man who led a failed coup against the elected government in 1990 said certain people approached him ahead of the 2002 general election on behalf of Manning and suggested that the PNM leader would like to discuss certain issues pertaining to the election.
Bakr said he agreed to meet Manning and did so on several occasions at the PNM's Balisier House headquarters and at the PM's official residence.
He said the PNM needed his help with two principal issues: mobilising young people to vote in the 2002 election and reducing the high levels of crime. He said Manning agreed to a list of his demands, which included a promise to forgive the multi-million debt owing to the state.
Bakr claimed he delivered on his end but Manning reneged on his part of the deal.
The opposition UNC and the media reported numerous cases of voter intimidation in marginal seats in the 2002 election and lost two critical seats - Mayaro and San Fernando West.
In Tunapuna, the brother of candidate Carlos John was kidnapped, after which John's campaign was toned down. The PNM retained that seat. The San Fernando candidate, Sadiq Baksh, became the subject of a police investigation after he discovered cocaine and bombs planted in a water tank at his home.
The results were close in each of the three seats but none of the UNC candidates bothered to contest them.
This is how the votes went:
- Tunapuna: Eddie Hart (PNM) - 10214; Carlos John (UNC) - 9528
- Mayaro: Frankie Khan (PNM) - 11025; Winston Peters (UNC) - 10,707
- San Fernando West: Diane Seukeran (PNM) 9091; Sadiq Baksh (UNC) - 8842
In a Privy council ruling, the British law Lords rejected Bakr's affidavit saying that it was irrelevant to the state's claim for compensation from Bakr, calling it a private matter between the PNm leader and Bakr.
However it acknowledged that if true it was a serious matter that would be a breach of the country''s anti-corruption law.
Read the story: Privy Council rules against T&T's Muslimeen
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