Trinidad and Tobago's Attorney General, John Jeremie, told Parliament Monday there is no truth in allegations made in a controversial affidavit by Jamaat-al-Muslimeen leader Abu Bakr concerning a secret deal with Prime Minister Patrick Manning.
Justice Rajendra Narine ruled last week that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Acting Commission of Police (CoP) should launch an investigation into the matter, saying no one is above the law.
Speaking in Parliament Monday, Jeremie dismissed the idea of an investigation.
"It was the State's position from the onset in the courts, that there was no truth to these allegations and that accordingly, Mr Bakr's affidavit would have to be contradicted," Jeremie said, adding that "Senior Counsel advised that the alleged agreement on which Mr Bakr relied was illegal or contrary to public policy and that in accordance with settled principles of law the High Court should not take cognisance of it."
Jeremie said the action which the judge took is in contrast with that of the Court of Appeal and the Privy Council, "both of which, despite having the affidavit before them, did not think it fit in effect to require that a criminal investigation be carried out into the allegations made in Mr Bakr's affidavit."
He said in light of that he has written to the Chief Justice expressing the concerns of the Government on the matter.
"Mr Speaker in this country even the words of an insurrectionist can engage the attention of the police. We welcome that as we welcome every police investigation as an opportunity to demonstrate...that we are fit to govern this land.
"What we deplore in the strongest terms possible is the attempt by some to treat these words as factual in the absence of any investigation and any assertion made in his own defence by the Hon Prime Minister.
"All that we seek is an opportunity for the Prime Minister to be vindicated," Jeremie declared.
The Privy Council ruling on the affidavit said it was irrelevant to a claim by the state for compensation from Bakr. However it did make reference to the document and noted that if it were true then it would be a breach of the country's prevention of corruption act.
The law lords stated that any alleged deal made between Manning and Bakr would have been a private one, since Manning would not have the authority to make such an agreement on behalf of the state.
It said the private arrangement between Manning and Bakr was corrupt within the meaning of Section 3 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1987 and that "each party was acting in contravention of the section".
Last week, acting DPP Carla Brown-Antoine, who is to be sworn in as a High Court judge this week, confirmed that she had forwarded the affidavit to the CoP since May. However, the police chief said he had not seen it.
No comments:
Post a Comment