THE Opposition is calling on the police to confiscate and examine all digital devices of everyone in the Cabinet –including the Prime Minister – who may be linked to the Vincent Nelson indemnity deal brokered by then attorney general Faris Al-Rawi.
At the weekly Sunday press briefing at the Office of the Opposition Leader in Port of Spain, Chaguanas West MP and attorney, Dinesh Rambally, made the call saying this is necessary to protect any evidence that could be vital to unveiling any breach of the law.
Rambally also demanded that Government reveal the person or people responsible for drafting the indemnity.
The 2017 indemnity agreement was made between then AG Al-Rawi, on behalf of the State, and attorney Nelson, KC, in exchange for evidence against former UNC AG Anand Ramlogan, SC, and former UNC senator Gerald Ramdeen, who were both accused of corruption.
The corruption case against Ramlogan and Ramdeen collapsed after it was revealed that Nelson was no longer willing to provide evidence, until a civil case he has brought against Government, for breach of an indemnity deal, is determined by the courts.
Rambally said on Sunday, “I’m calling on the newly-appointed head of the police service if you have not already engaged in executing warrants for search and seizure against Keith Rowley, Faris Al-Rawi, Stuart Young, Reginald Armour and Renuka Sagramsingh, I want you to do so now.”
Rambally claimed Government was manipulating supposedly independent state organisations for political and personal gain.
“It is critical the police seize their cell phone, laptops, iPads, their tablets and other various devices because critical evidence can be destroyed," Rambally said.
He also reiterated his call to the Law Association to state its stance a member of Cabinet brokering an indemnity deal with a person charged with a crime. Repeated efforts by Newsday to get a comment from the association's head, Sophia Chote, SC, have all been futile.
UNC member Sean Sobers, who was also at the press conference on Sunday, echoed Rambally’s concerns saying Government must publicly admit that it acted unlawfully.
“I want to know who drafted the indemnity agreement. Based on the reports ,you have a situation where Nelson, his lawyer, Faris, or the State may have drafted it. We are unsure,” Sobers said.
Sobers said it was clear the Government attempted to induce someone to bring evidence against its political enemies.
Alluding to the clearly defined separation of powers which are integral to any and all democracies, Sobers said, "The person with responsibility and authority, based on the Constitution, to deal with criminal matters, is the DPP." He said the drafting of an indemnity agreement should never have been orchestrated by active members of Cabinet.
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