PM's attorney wants email probe to end before CWC election

Israel Khan

The Express newspaper reported Tuesday that attorney Israel Khan has called on police to end the e-mail investigation before the July 29 byelection in Chaguanas West.

Khan is Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s attorney. He is representing her in the police probe of the string of emails presented in Parliament in May by Opposition leader Keith Rowley.

Rowley claimed that the emails were proof that there was a plot to undermine the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and harm a newspaper reporter. He stated the emails were part of a "conversation" among the PM, Attorney Anand Ramlogan, Senior Cabinet Minister Dr Suruj Rambachan and National Security Adviser Gary Griffith. 

Earlier this week acting police commissioner Stephen Williams stated that the emails were fakes. The Prime Minister responded by calling on Rowley to name the 'whistleblower' who provided the bogus material.

The Express said it spoke with the PM's lawyer who stated that he is frustrated that the probe has not progressed and remains “hanging over the Prime Minister’s head”.

Khan said the pronouncement on the matter by Williams is relevant although Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Mervyn Richardson is the lead investigator. "It is the DCP who has to bring him (Williams) up to date on what is going on," Khan said.

"They have had sufficient time, the Prime Minister has said she will write to the service providers and waive her right to privacy for the month of September and to date we have not heard from them. Is it that Richardson already knows the e-mails to be false?” the Express quoted him as saying.

Khan said someone would be implicated in criminal conduct and misbehaviour in public office.