Police assigned to investigate allegations of human trafficking by two former People's Partnership ministers implicating politicians said they have been given 48 hours to submit their report to the Commissioner of Police.
On Wednesday, CoP Erla Harewood-Christopher directed an immediate probe into the allegations, which stemmed from a statement by the Prime Minister on February 24.
He was responding to a query from Naparima MP Rodney Charles in Parliament on the statement in a 2022 US State Department report on Trafficking in Persons that "senior government officials" were involved in human trafficking.
Dr Rowley said the government had investigated the claim and found it was referring to members of the Opposition.
The day after the PM spoke, former PP minister Devant Maharaj publicly supported his position that the report referred to opposition members and not sitting government officials.
Part of the report said: "Corruption and official complicity in trafficking crimes remained significant concerns, inhibiting law enforcement action, and the government did not take action against senior government officials alleged in 2020 to be involved in human trafficking. Victim identification and services remained weak, and the government did not formally adopt the National Action Plan (NAP) for 2021-2023."
One police officer familiar with the investigation said the timeframe given to complete the probe was unrealistic, as police did not have any report from any victim, and the allegations had been made seven years later.
Still to be interviewed by police:
Among the people police intend to interview are Rowley; Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar; Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal; former PP ministers Vasant Bharath and Maharaj; former head of the Counter Trafficking Unit (CTU) Alana Wheeler; former chief immigration officer Charmaine Gandhi-Andrews; and two senior officers who were assigned to the CTU.
Bharath claimed in a newspaper interview that he and other then Cabinet ministers were propositioned by girls apparently working for a current Opposition MP.
Maharaj: I'm ready to talk to cops
Reliable sources said Senior Supt Christopher Pamponette contacted Maharaj, who now lives in Canada, via a WhatsApp telephone call on Thursday morning, but Maharaj said he was not willing to co-operate and intended to consult his lawyers.
But in a later WhatsApp response to Newsday, Maharaj dismissed this claim as "lies by the UNC."
He provided a copy of an e-mail sent to him by acting Sgt Cavelle Mills-Walters, the senior officer assigned to the CTU, at 12.10 pm on Thursday requesting an interview "within the shortest possible timeframe."
Mills-Walters also gave Maharaj the option of providing a signed statement to support his claims of human trafficking involving his former colleagues.
In his e-mail response, at 1.30 pm, which Maharaj also provided, he said: "I stand ready to communicate and co-operate with the investigation."
He said he was willing to be talk to the officer via a Zoom, Micos
