The Police Complaints Authority (PCA) has launched an independent investigation into allegations of misconduct against senior and junior police who were investigating the discovery of marijuana at the private residence of former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar in 2013. It is also calling on anyone who may have information relevant to the case to come forward.
The move came hours after a call by Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley for a detailed investigation into alleged inducements and personal benefits offered to the team of investigators, and for a determination on if this constituted misconduct in public office and/or the commission of a serious crime.
The claim that marijuana had been found at Persad-Bissessar’s Phillipine residence was first made by former national security minister Jack Warner in 2015.
Warner had claimed that on April 12, 2013, former deputy commissioner of police Mervyn Richardson informed him (Warner) that several ounces of marijuana had been found at Persad-Bissessar’s house. Persad-Bissessar was in New York at the time. Warner said both former national security adviser Gary Griffith and former housing minister Dr. Roodal Moonilal were aware of the find and had advised Persad-Bissessar of it.
Yesterday, Rowley said it was now to be determined if the conduct of the police investigating the matter had, “received a series of personal benefits and it is to be determined now whether those actions and persons who offered those benefits have in fact resulted in the commission of a serious crime.”
He said Warner had sworn an affidavit prior to the general elections last September, confirming the details of the marijuana find as well as the alleged cover-up which saw police officers deviating from the proper channels of protocol.
Underscoring the seriousness of the matter, Rowley said the investigating officers had reportedly been the recipients of state housing, Priority Bus Route passes and had their vacation leave bought out by government.
He said the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions had the power to intervene in the matter.
Asked about the lack of power by the PCA to move beyond a certain point in many of these types of investigations, Rowley revealed that plans were afoot to bestow “more power” on the PCA.
He also knocked acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams, whom he said held the post with the highest authority.
“I don't want to think that the Commissioner of Police who has lost breath in all of this, would allow the officers who were at Phillipine to be prosecuted and turn a blind eye to the fact that high-ranking office holders may have been involved or behind the conduct of those officers. Then that would be saying the law only applies to certain people and doesn’t apply to other people,” he said.