HOME	JUNE 26th, 2004

JUNE 26

Local attorney-at-law, Anslem Clouden says that Opposition Leader Tillman Thomas acted within the law to request the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) to launch an investigation into allegations of criminal wrongdoing by Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell.

Clouden also blasted Special Prosecutor Hugh Wildman who warned that the Opposition Leader now runs the risk of facing a charge of criminal libel over documents presented to Police Commissioner Fitzroy Bedeau on the issue.

The outspoken lawyer said that what the Opposition leader and his team did by handing over the documents to Bedeau was has authority in law to commence investigations into allegations of wrong-doing.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference last Thursday, Clouden said the remarks made by Wildman were "totally inaccurate" and do not in any way reflect the true nature of how investigations are started by the police.

He accused the Special Prosecutor of engaging in "premature" statement which might have stemmed from a conflict of interest and one clearly designed to mislead the public at large.

Clouden noted that shortly after the Opposition Leader and his team met with the police, Wildman, who heads the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), was heard publicly questioning the documents.

The Special Prosecutor criticised the information contained in the documents as "hear-say" and had nothing in it that warrants a criminal investigation against Prime Minister Mitchell.

Clouden pointed out that not long ago the same Wildman and his FIU unit played the leading role in starting investigations into allegations of fraud against former Opposition Leader Michael Baptiste based on a complaint made by Education Minister, Claris Charles.

He quoted the official Court document in the matter as saying that Charles claimed that she had met with Japanese/American businessman Harry Wackasa who told her that he had given monetary contributions earmarked for Grenada's participation at the International Whaling Commission (IWC), to Baptiste when he held the post of Agriculture Minister in the Mitchell Government.

According to Clouden, the complaint made by Charles was in itself hear-say since Baptiste was not present when Wackasa met with the female government minister and made the allegation against the Opposition Leader.

"... It is totally inaccurate to say that because a statement is hearsay an investigation cannot be commenced", he said. "It is widely known that most investigations are commenced by hearsay statements and it is after the investigation bears the fruits of evidence, sufficient enough to warrant a charge (that) the relevant charge is made", he added.

Clouden called on Wildman or the police to tell the nation why two police officers attached to FIU had travelled to Texas in the United States to take statements from Wackasa as part of the investigations into the Baptiste affair.

He said that today the opposition is requesting a similar activity of the part of the local police force and it is reluctant to act on the information presented to it. He said that all citizens are entitled to equal treatment under the law and there must be equality before the law.

Clouden stressed that for Wildman or anyone to say that an investigation cannot be started against Prime Minister Mitchell based on the hear-say is to discriminate in law.

"If the police could have investigated Baptiste on hearsay statements (and) allegations made by Claris Charles, it certainly can be done against Dr. Mitchell and there should not be any discrimination as to office", he said.

He indicated that a few weeks ago a commission set up by the Israeli government ruled that there was insufficient evidence to charge Prime Minister Ariel Sharon after a year long investigation on allegations of bribery.

Clouden also pointed out that the affidavit of Timothy Bass containing the alleged pay-off to Dr. Mitchell is definitely in compliance with Unites States law.

"We must remember that Dr. Mitchell has admitted receiving monies but queries the quantum saying that it was approximately US $15000,00, whereas Mr. Bass in an affidavit said he was present when certain activities involving the Prime Minister received more than what he claimed to have received", he remarked.

"I will like to know if that does not in anyway warrants an investigation then what else does because we cannot forget Claris Charles came forward with the story, Baptiste denied the allegations, the police investigated the matter and less than twenty four hours after he was charged", Clouden said.