(Trinidad Express) – Opposition Senator David Nakhid declared to the Senate yesterday that Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley is under police investigation and he (Nakhid) was interviewed as a witness. Rowley, however, told TV6 News last night that at the time he knew nothing of such an investigation.
Speaking during his contribution to the budget debate at the Senate sitting at the Red House, Nakhid said the United Nations stated that a stable democratic country is when independent institutions are insulated from political influence.
“Clearly, Mr Vice President, this has not been the case, not only by the recent Vincent Nelson revelations but when we look at what happened in the selection of a commissioner of police,” he said.
Nakhid said he had been brought before the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACIB) to answer questions regarding “Prime Minister Dr Keith Christopher Rowley for his misbehaviour in public office. He is now under official investigation”.
Nakhid said he knows that the ACIB has also questioned other witnesses.
“So we have a sitting prime minister who the Anti-Corruption Bureau is looking into, his misbehaviour in public office. We have a former attorney general who it seems is at sea to explain who signed off on that indemnity agreement and by the way we hope Senator Sooklal (Government Minister Renuka Sagramsingh-Sooklal) would give us some, since she has been named, she will give us some insight into who was in that room,” he said.
Senate Vice President Muhammed Yunus Ibrahim cautioned Nakhid and said that his disclosure may be in full confidence.
“I checked and I asked the people who came and questioned me about that misbehaviour in public office by the prime minister, I asked them and they said yes an investigation has been launched and I am one of the witnesses,” responded Nakhid.
In July this year, acting Police Commissioner (CoP) McDonald Jacob indicated via letter to Nakhid that his request for the Prime Minister to be investigated for misbehaviour in public office was sent to the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau (ACIB).
Nakhid had called for the investigation after Rowley disclosed to the Express that he was the “high-ranking” public official who met with former PolSC chairman Bliss Seepersad at President’s House and provided her with information on former CoP Gary Griffith, which then caused the PolSC to withdraw the merit list for police commissioner from the president.
