Tuesday, August 28 2012

COLLIN Partap’s lawyer, Jagdeo Singh, whom Partap called early Sunday morning when he was being asked by police to take a breathalyser test, yesterday said there is “no case” against Partap as he passed the breath test which was eventually administered.

In a brief interview with Newsday yesterday, Singh declined to comment on the case.

Contacted for comment, Singh said, “Is he (Partap) being represented? There is no case. He passed the breath test.” Asked if he was representing Partap, Singh said, “I cannot comment on this matter. It would be a breach of privilege.”

Opposition Senator Fitzgerald Hinds, at a press briefing at the Office of the Opposition Leader, Charles Street, Port-of-Spain, said Partap called two people on Sunday morning after police confronted him outside the Zen nightclub at Keate Street, Port-of-Spain. Those two people, he said, were attorney Jagdeo Singh and Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams.

Police sources said that up to yesterday there had been no charges in Partap’s case.

Hinds said the mere refusal to take a breath test is a violation of Section 70 of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act.

Partap was stopped after going into a car and starting the ignition. There have also been reports that the car involved was part of the fleet of the Ministry of National Security and was equipped with an emergency siren.

Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley questioned what Partap was doing with a public vehicle during a trip to Zen. “He will have some difficulty convincing us that he was on duty,” Rowley said. He tied the incident to a Cabinet decision to allow ministers to drive State vehicles personally, a new rule which he alleged is being abused.