‘A case of misconduct’

How did Ian Alleyne get police files?

By Jensen LaVende jensen.lavende@trinidadexpress.com
October 17, 2013 at 10:31 PM ECT
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THERE may be an investigation into how United National Congress (UNC) St Joseph by-election candidate and former talk show host Ian Alleyne came into possession of police files regarding investigations of theft.

Speaking at the weekly police press briefing yesterday, Police Service public information officer ASP Joanne Archie said, based on information and questions posed to her, an investigation is likely to be launched into what she said would be a case of misconduct.

Archie was shown a copy of a photograph of Alleyne holding a file with the official police logo and the heading, “Investigative File PCM 1100 Range Rover”, on it during a UNC public meeting in Fyzabad on Monday night.

The file also has the name of a police officer, Cpl Joseph, along with a regimental number 12626.

The file concerns Anna Deonarine, deputy political leader of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP), who was a person of interest in an international high-end vehicle theft ring. The licence plate on the file was that of Deonarine’s Range Rover, which police believed was stolen in the United Kingdom.

Deonarine has denied any wrongdoing in the matter and has been cleared of such by Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard.

“I am sure it will be taken up and an investigation would be initiated,” Archie said.

“As far as I am aware an investigation being conducted is done so under the strictest of confidentiality...I don’t think, I am not aware of any circumstance of any politician could request a file and it is just handed to them,” Archie said when asked how a citizen could obtain an official police file.

She added that police officers report to the (acting) Commissioner of Police (Stephen Williams) and any communication must be made through him.

Asked if this was a breach of any known law, Archie said it may be a breach of discipline within the Police Service, which comes with certain sanctions.

Asked whether he gave Alleyne the file, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan said no, labelling the idea a “political gimmick”.

“I must respond to every silly suggestion made?” Ramlogan questioned, adding that Alleyne has for years been getting police information through his television show, Crime Watch.

“Why is it a problem now? Surely the concern is not that he had it on a political platform, the issue must be how he got it at all. It is a foolish suggestion as Mr Alleyne has been fighting crime on national television with contacts in the Police Service.

“The overriding concern must be the low detection rate, poor investigation work and the value that by public disclosure has solved many crimes that the police would not at all otherwise possibly do,” the AG said.

“I suspect that the person who dropped the fake e-mails in (PNM leader) Dr Rowley’s box, dropped that police file for Ian Alleyne. The spotlight should be on that person, that shadowy figure who is related to Mr Big that the police have yet to arrest,” he quipped.

Police Inspector Roger Alexander, who worked closely with Alleyne on his television programme, said the file would have come from persons who would have investigated the matter, or more or less come from an agency of the Government.

He added that Government ministers may be able to obtain such documents, especially the import and export licence which the police may not have had or had access to, that is reportedly contained in the file.

Alexander added that the real question is where was the file all this time and why is it now being brought into the spotlight.

“The police alone would not have those documents. There are other agencies who may or may not have documents that the police has,” Alexander said as he sought to defend the police from being blamed for leaking the file.

Attempts to contact Alleyne were unsuccessful.

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