Probe Faris Al-Rawi, now!
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has demanded an immediate criminal investigation into the conduct of former attorney general Faris Al-Rawi to determine whether he is guilty of misbehaviour in public office and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
She’s also called for the reopening of other probes against Al-Rawi and for Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to answer questions concerning his former AG.
Persad-Bissessar did so in a statement yesterday, welcoming the discontinuance of the case against UNC attorneys Anand Ramlogan SC and Gerald Ramdeen.
The Director of Public Prosecutions dropped the charges against both concerning “kickbacks” allegations. This, after the state’s main witness, British King’s Counsel Vincent Nelson, indicated he was unwilling to give evidence until a civil claim case against the state is concluded. That involves Nelson seeking damages for breach of the indemnity between himself and former AG Al-Rawi. Nelson claimed the indemnity was promised to him.
Persad-Bissessar said, “The UNC stands firm in its position that the malicious political harassment and wicked persecution of the UNC and its supporters by this dictatorial and evil government is a clear and present danger to the rule of law and our democracy.
“Biased police investigations that are designed to feed into the PNM’s political narrative that the UNC is corrupt will always be exposed.”
She saw the allegations in the Nelson matter, “... as the tip of the iceberg of PNM corruption and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice...”
“The shocking revelation by the DPP about the conduct of the disgraced AG Faris Al-Rawi in this fiasco, culminating in the filing of a claim by Nelson against Al-Rawi for damages in excess of 100 million dollars, is scandalous and outrageous,” she said.
“The indemnity agreement secretly entered into between Al-Rawi and Nelson has always been a cause for public concern. Indeed, the DPP publicly distanced himself from same by disclaiming any knowledge about it.”
Persad-Bissessar added, “... Al-Rawi had a secret sweetheart deal with Nelson, under which millions of taxpayers’ dollars were paid in exchange for his testimony against Ramlogan and Ramdeen.
“To make matters worse, Nelson’s lawyer was none other than ex-member of the Police Service Commission, Roger Kawalsingh, who was himself under police investigation in connection with the strange purchase of Al-Rawi’s luxury Porsche Cayenne which was never transferred. Kawalsingh was also the fortunate recipient of over $10M in legal fees for work under the PNM.”
Rowley must answer
Persad-Bissessar called on the DPP to make public the civil lawsuit that Nelson filed against Al-Rawi.
She said several questions now arise:
• Was the indemnity agreement a clever disguise or illicit vehicle for the payment of monies to induce Nelson to fabricate evidence against Ramlogan and Ramdeen?
• Why did Al-Rawi enter into a secret indemnity agreement with Nelson without the knowledge, participation and consent of the DPP?
• Did Rowley, as Prime Minister and/or the Cabinet, approve the terms of this scandalous indemnity agreement?
She said, “This agreement has created a staggering financial risk exposure for the state and taxpayers at a time when citizens are being told to return to sacrifice, to stop eating macaroni pie and ham and, return to using coal pots and riding bicycles to work.
“The UNC calls upon Rowley to disclose whether he had prior knowledge about the Nelson lawsuit against Al-Rawi and whether this was the real reason behind his sudden firing as AG. The chronology of events will certainly tell a damning story and allow the public to connect the dots.”
Apart from an immediate criminal investigation into Al-Rawi’s conduct, Persad-Bissessar also demanded an immediate reopening of the investigation into the sale of Faris’ luxury Porsche Cayenne to Nelson’s lawyer, Roger Kawalsingh, and the illegal failure to transfer the said vehicle.
“There must also be an investigation into the award of legal briefs by Al-Rawi and the Government to Roger Kawalsingh to determine whether the over $10M in legal fees paid was in fact for work done or for some other purpose,” she said.
“The malicious conspiracy by public officials and government ministers to embark on a political witch hunt against the UNC must be condemned and will not be tolerated!”