Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith says a team of police officers led by Ag. DCP Forde will be seeking to interview former Cambridge Analytica data consultant as early as this weekend as the service begins its probe into allegations that the company spied on citizens at the behest of the United National Congress.
Here is the full statement from the Commissioner of Police:
The Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith gives the assurance that unlike the ‘email gate’ investigation, which was prolonged for several years before completion, these accusations made by Mr. Christopher Wiley, would be swiftly addressed.
At this present time, the only person of interest in this matter is Mr. Wiley, as he is the only one who has made comments alluding to possible criminal misconduct.
His comments would mandate that the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) meets with him to establish if a crime did take place, if he is an accessory to that crime, and if others could be culpable.
At this time, the TTPS has absolutely no evidence to verify that any crime was committed, and all that is in the possession of the TTPS is a book with Mr. Wiley’s claims.
The Commissioner says further, to these accusations “I have recused myself from this matter, and I have tasked representatives of the TTPS, led by Ag. DCP Forde to meet with, and seek the existence of any supporting evidence from Mr. Wiley. This team will depart as early as this weekend if Mr. Wiley is contacted and agrees to be interviewed by the investigative team.
The chain of events would be as follows:
1. Efforts would be made today to contact Mr. Wiley and seek his agreement to be interviewed this weekend.
2. If Mr Wiley refuses to cooperate with the TTPS, the claims then cannot be substantiated and then it would lack merit and the matter would be closed.
3. If he is willing to, the Officers would travel to the United Kingdom this weekend to conduct the extensive interview.
4. It is only then that the TTPS would be able to ascertain if what Mr Wiley has stated and whatever material he can produce, would warrant an investigation to be launched in relation to possible criminal activity.