Anand Ramlogan reminded the Senate on Tuesday that the Jamaat filed the affidavit in June 2006, alleging that Muslimeen leader Yasin Abu Bakr and Manning had come to an “agreement” for bakr to help the PNM win the general election.
In return the document alleged, among other things, that the state would not enforce payment of the damages against the Jamaat and its members with respect to destruction of property during the failed 1990 coup.
The deal, according to the document was for bakr to get young people to support the PNM and that the group would “actively campaign for the PNM” in marginal seats.
During the Manning PNM administration the State tried to strike out the affidavit as being irrelevant. However in a ruling at the Privy Council the Law Lords noted that the allegation were “serious” and if true amounted to a break of the country's integrity laws.
“It was in those circumstances that Justice Rajendra Narine eventually ordered the Commissioner of Police to launch an investigation into those allegations. To date, we are none the wiser as to where it has reached but we mention it as part of the chronology of events.
“It may be high time the Commissioner of Police updates us on that investigation,” the AG said.
In ruling on the matter in 2009 Justice Narine said, "If the allegations are true, the prime minister made promises of State resources to the leader of an organisation which had made an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the duly-elected government of the country, in return for the Jamaat's leverage in the marginal constituencies."
He added, "The court is confident that the relevant authorities will carry out their constitutional duties without fear or favour."
Read the story: Judge orders probe of PM Manning; orders auction of Abu Bakr's properties
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