PM's wife says she met with Muslimeen leader

Local Government Minister Hazel Manning has denied media reports that officers from the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau (ACIB) interviewed her about alleged deals between Abu Bakr and her husband, Prime Minister Patrick Manning.

She told the Trinidad Guardian she is preparing to file her submissions to the police but refused to give any details to the media.

However she did admit to meeting with the Jamaat al Muslimeen leader.

“He did come to visit", she said, adding that she doesn't think it is something that she should be discussing with reporters.

In an affidavit filed in 2006 Bakr claimed Mrs Manning, who was then the education minister, was making preparations to establish a school for the Jamaat al Muslimeen leader after the Islamic group secured votes for the People’s National Movement (PNM).

Bakr’s affidavit alleged that Manning said she was aware of meetings between her husband, Prime Minister Patrick Manning and Bakr, and that “arrangements were to be made for including the school on the Concordat.”

Mrs Manning confirmed that she plans to file a report related to the affidavit but insisted that the police "never, never, and I really want to say that - they never interviewed me."