Emails produced by Rowley in Parliament are frauds: PM Kamla

Kamla Persad-Bissesar

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar told supporters Monday night that an international expert in IT forensics has concluded that that the emails presented by Opposition Leader Keith Rowley in Parliament last month are fraudulent. And she wondered whether Rowley should not be charged with misbehaviour in public office.

Speaking in her dual roles of Prime Minister and leader of the United National Congress she explained that her lawyer, Senior Counsel Israel Khan, had asked for the forensic analysis of the purported emails.

"My lawyer, Mr. Khan, commissioned Mr. Jon Berryhill, a computer forensic investigator, of Berryhill Computer Forensics Inc. based in the United States, to give a professional analysis of the authenticity of the purported emails disclosed by Dr. Rowley."

She said Berryhill's reported concluded that the analysis of the documents provided overwhelming proof of the fraudulent nature of the documents. She quoted from the report produced by Berryhill:

“There are many inconsistencies and questionable points that by themselves would lead any analyst to conclude that none of the documents can be trusted…there are several fatal flaws, which would remove any doubt or opinion from even the most skeptical analyst.” 

She noted that Berrywell is a respected expert who has worked in the computer industry since 1983 "as both the lead investigative agent and in support roles in a wide variety of cases including fraud, homicide, theft, drugs, and counter-intelligence". 

Persad-Bissessar reiterated that she had nothing to do with any emails as claimed by the leader of the opposition. "I want to assure you again and to make it abundantly clear that I did not send or receive any emails as mentioned by the Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Keith Rowley. Nor did I authorize anyone to send any such emails on my behalf. I assure you of that."

She added, "Indeed, I am of the opinion that persons unknown have hatched a plot to damage and scandalise my good name and the reputation of members of my cabinet and your government.

"It was all part of an effort to bring the Office of the Prime Minister and your duly elected Government into disrepute...

"Indeed there appears to be a conspiracy to remove your democratically elected government by extra constitutional means."

She also stated that she is cooperating with the police in the investigation. She said she agreed to make available to the police investigators the electronic devices that used to send and receive emails during the month of September, 2013 on condition that this is done in the presence of "my Attorney-At-Law and my Information Technology (IT) expert."

She explained that it would have been "reckless" to just hand over these devices since "as Prime Minister, I also chair the National Security Council and there is sensitive data on the said electronic devices concerning the safety and security of the State and other matters of a confidential nature."

She added, "So this is not to hide anything, but to be cautious with sensitive information concerning the State."