AG has no problem with DPP's decision on Manning, Pena; many unanswered questions remain

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan said on Saturday he respects the decision by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard to clear former prime minister Patrick Manning of any "criminal misconduct" in the construction of a church at Guanapo. The project was eventually abandoned.

Ramlogan told reporters he does not believe it was a clearance, not that Gaspard said police did not have enough evidence "to justify a charge". The said the DPP can only make a determination based on the evidence brought before him.

"Of course, there will be some public disquiet and unhappiness, based on the fact that the police did not interview Miss Pena and the source of funds remains a bit of a mystery. That is not the fault of the DPP. If it is a fault at all, it would lie in the police investigation conducted," he said.

Gaspard has said he would revisit the matter if any new evidence is uncovered.

"That's where the matter rests, but I can see no fault in the decision of the DPP; if that is the evidence before him which led to that conclusion," Ramlogan said.

Ramlogan said there are still some unanswered questions on the matter.

"Where the money came from, who owned the project, who gave the land...so we were completely justified in making the complaint to have this matter investigated," he said.

The Express newspaper said Manning's wife said he does not have any comment to make on the matter.