How did Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley have the confidence to tell citizens that Opposition MP Roodal Moonilal will be brought before the courts?
That’s the question Israel Khan SC has officially put to Acting of Commissioner Police Stephen Williams on Moonilal’s behalf. Khan sent a letter on the issue to Williams on Tuesday.
The move is the fall-out from the remarks Rowley made about Moonilal when the PM spoke at a media briefing last Friday before he left for a US medical check-up. Rowley alluded then to a warrant he claimed Moonilal was “under” and also alluded to “when” Moonilal “appears in court” under the warrant.
Khan prefaced his concerns on the matter by noting a June 7 letter which he’d also sent to the CoP on Moonilal’s behalf over a newspaper report, which stated Moonilal was a person of interest in a police probe and his premises were searched concerning this.
Khan said Moonilal ought to have been informed of the nature of the investigation and provision of the details to the media indicated a “conspiracy between the executive and the police service” to damage Moonilal.
But following Rowley remarks last Friday, Khan said in Tuesday’s letter, “Unfortunately, it appears the fears of my client may have been legitimate based on statements by the Prime Minister.”
While Rowley had said his Government has no involvement in law enforcement matters, Khan added, “In the same breath, the Prime Minister referred to my client by his name and as a person ‘who has questions to answer about the handling of public monies and for which information was provided in a court of T&T and the court being so satisfied allowed warrants to be issued.’”
Khan quoted Rowley as saying,“‘What Dr. Moonilal was doing was protecting himself because as he named others, he carefully did not name himself while currently being under warrant – when he appears in court under the warrant that now exists he will be a victim of this same development.’”
Khan told Williams, “We are of the view that by the Prime Minister’s statements, he has indicated to citizens in a sound to those who will hear it, with its content being clear without it being spelt out, that he [Prime Minister] is sure my client will be brought before the court.”
Khan said his client “... Fears that the Prime Minister’s indication to the citizens that my client will be brought before the courts is an indication the Prime Minister is so desirous of such an outcome and may have the influence and the intrusion that compromises the police independence.
“Even the mere mentioning of such investigations by such a highly influential official such as the Prime Minster may amount to intrusion and therefore an unconstitutional action and against the rule of law.”
Khan added, “I think it is only proper that you as the Commissioner of Police make a public statement categorically stating the current state of affairs and how in fact the Prime Minister can make these promises to the citizens that my client will be brought to the courts.”
Khan also told Cop Wiliams, “One of the pillars of police-government relations is full police independence. Police must be immune from government intervention, most importantly in matters regarding the process of investigations.”
The T&T Guardian confirmed there’s been no response from the CoP yet. Williams didn’t answer calls yesterday.