Ag Commissioner of Police Mc Donald Jacob says the country should not expect overnight results in the investigation into the contents of the 1997 Robert Sabga and the 2021 Justice Judith Jones reports, saying it is only in its “embryonic stage.”
Jacob told the Sunday Guardian that it was only on Thursday that they received the Sabga report and the country should not expect immediate results.
Jacob hopes that the country would get the full details of the investigations in three months or less.
“We used three months as reasonable time but because of the seriousness of it, we are hoping to get some sort of outcome before the three-month period.”
Although Jacob made no comment on it, the Sunday Guardian understands that witnesses have begun coming forward to be interviewed for the investigation which is only a few days old.
The 1997 Robert Sabga-led task force investigated ten children’s homes, while the 2021 Judith Jones team investigated allegations of abuse in all children’s homes. In a Facebook post, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said he was “shocked” about the contents of the Sabga report and called on the commissioner to find a copy of it.
Jacob outlined the lengthy process involved in these complex investigations.
“We first need to sit, then analyse the report, then the analysts will pull out names and put them onto a database and after, plan a strategy in how the investigation will be done. All of this needs to be done before we begin to take statements."
He said that in the past the T&T Police Service (TTPS) “ran wild’ and that did not bring results. He promised that this investigation will be done in an “organised” way with the best experts in the service.
Jacob said in October 2021 the TTPS sent three officers to the New York City Police Department (NYPD) to train.
“They were sent to understand how the NYPD goes about doing the investigation process. This will help us to enhance our investigative methodology. Of course, some of those skills will be used in this current investigation."
