The main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is looking at ways to force the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) to bring criminal charges against Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell.

The party's Public Relations Officer (PRO), Nazim Burke who is the Parliamentary Representative for the constituency of St. George North-east, disclosed this to GRENADA TODAY.

Burke told this newspaper that there is enough evidence available for the police to pursue an investigation into allegations that the Prime Minister accepted a bribe from German fraudster, Eric Resteiner for a top diplomatic posting.

The Miami-based Offshore Alert carried a report about a trip made to Zurich, Switzerland in June 2000 in which the chief bodyguard of Resteiner claimed that a $500, 000 U.S bribe was paid to Mitchell to appoint Resteiner as an ambassador.

The Prime Minister has vehemently denied the allegation and said that he was paid "approximately US$15, 000 by Resteiner to cover the expenses of a trip he made to Europe and Kuwait. According to Burke, the Congress party is seeking an audience in which the political leader Tillman Thomas will present certain information to get the island's chief cop to act against Dr. Mitchell who is also the Minister responsible for National Security.

He said the police have a responsibility to look at the bribery allegations made by the Offshore Alert against the Grenadian leader.
He stated that there is in existence a sworn affidavit by Resteiner's chief of bodyguard about the existence of a video recording of the financial transaction and this was enough to get the police interested in the matter.

Burke also cited a section 406 of the Criminal code of Grenada as empowering the police to pursue DR. Mitchell for any alleged wrongdoing. The code states: "Any person who bribes a Minister, or being a Minister, accepts a bribe, where the object of the bribe is to induce such Minister to do, or to omit to do, any act contrary to his official duty, or to show favour or partiality in the discharge of his duty, shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years or to a fine not exceeding three thousand dollars, or both".

NDC officials are adamant that if the police fail to act then the party would pursue the case of the alleged bribe against Prime Minister Mitchell whenever it assumes office. The congress party is also sending a three-member delegation to Barbados on Thursday to meet with the media to inform "the region" about the current situation in Barbados.

The delegation will comprise Thomas, Burke and former Minister of Tourism, Joan Purcell. Speculation is rife that the NDC officials will seek audiences with the U.S Ambassador in Barbados, as well as the British High Commissioner to inform them about the bribery allegations against the Grenadian leader.

Burke declined to confirm whether the NDC would ask the U.S Ambassador to intervene and get Washington to help in further investigating the matter. The Congress is also said to be giving consideration to sending a similar delegation to Trinidad and Tobago to meet with the media in Port-of-Spain and foreign diplomats based in the twin island republic.