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Cops tracing Panday's money
Posted: Friday, September 20, 2002

By Curtis Williams, Express

Investigations into how he came by the money are ongoing even though UNC leader Basdeo Panday has been charged with making false declarations involving a London bank account.

Attorney General Glenda Morean yesterday confirmed that the charges did not mean an end to the police probe.

Speaking to the media during the weekly post-Cabinet news conference, Morean was coy on the question of Panday's arrest.

Asked if the UNC leader was still under investigation, Morean said: "There are many investigations underway." Pressed further on whether Panday remained under investigation Morean said: "Yes."

Panday was on Wednesday charged with failing to disclose a London account under the Integrity in Public Life Act 1987. He has alleged that the charges were part of a PNM plot to get at him.

But also speaking at the news conference at Whitehall, Prime Minister Patrick Manning said the incident had nothing to do with politics.

He said : "Up to yesterday (Wednesday) the allegation was being made that people's names were being slandered and no one was arrested. Now that someone has been charged the cry is political victimisation. Ladies and gentlemen, the PNM is not involved in the investigation nor arrest of any individual." MORE

PANDAY CHARGED

By Wendy Campbell, Newsday TT

Former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday has been formally charged with three offences for failing to declare his account at the National Westminster Bank in Wimbledon, London.

The summonses were served on Panday at his Ocean Avenue, Gulf View residence yesterday afternoon by Senior Supt Wellington Virgil, head of the Fraud Squad.

Virgil is the man who had been assigned to investigate the allegations that the former Prime Minister failed to declare the London account as required by the Integrity in Public Life Act.

The UNC leader, the first former PM to be charged in the history of Trinidad and Tobago, has been summoned to answer that he knowingly made a false declaration when he failed to include in the said declaration, money held in account No. 39036189 at the National Westminister Bank plc, London, England, in the name of Basdeo Panday and Oma Panday, contrary to Section 27 1 (b) of the Integrity in Public Life Act, No. 8 of 1987.

The three charges are for making false declarations for the years 1997, 1998 and 1999.

Panday is to appear in the Port-of- Spain Magistrates on November 27. His attendance in court is by way of a summons, and not by a warrant of arrest. The fine is $20,000 and/or two years imprisonment.

The charge ought to have been laid about three and half weeks ago, sources said yesterday, but was delayed because of a request by Panday’s attorneys to the London Home Office not to release information as they claimed the investigation was politically motivated.

Police also said that they needed to go to London to get witness statements which could be used in court as evidence. A London official is also expected to come to Trinidad to give evidence. The investigations are not yet over.

The Integrity Commission sent the file to DPP Geoffrey Henderson on July 18 and Henderson and a group of senior attorneys from the DPP’s department spent several hours studying the content of the file to determine whether any charges could have been laid.

Guardian report on Panday's Charges

By ROBERT ALONZO, Guardian TT

Three charges have been slapped on UNC political leader Basdeo Panday for failing to declare money he allegedly held in a London bank account.

Panday is to appear before Deputy Chief Magistrate Deborah Thomas-Felix in the Port-of-Spain Eighth Court on November 19.

The charges relating to the London account were laid in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court shortly after 1 pm yesterday.

Director of Public Prosecutions Geoffrey Henderson on Tuesday gave the police the order to charge the UNC leader.

The charges state that Panday failed to declare the London account for the years 1997, 1998 and 1999.

They also state that Panday made a false declaration by failing to declare money held in account No 39036189 at the National Westminster Bank in London in the name of Basdeo Panday and Oma Panday. This, the charges state, was contrary to Section 27 (1)B of the Integrity in Public Life Act No 8 of 1997.



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