POLICE STUMPED

TWO HIGH-PROFILE cases that engaged the attention of the police are now closed pending further information.

Heads of departments DCP Jayson Forde and acting Supt Wendell Lucas of the Financial Investigations Branch made those announcements on Wednesday at the weekly police press briefing at the Police Administration Building in Port of Spain.

Lucas updated the media on an investigation into accusations by MP for Oropouche East Dr Roodal Moonilal that the Prime Minister benefited from a financial transaction connected to A&V Drilling in Florida, He said the police sought the assistance of stakeholders in the Financial Intelligence Unit as well as foreign investigation units, but could not find evidence to prove the claim.

“On our last meeting with the FIU, we were advised that there were no identifiable transactions relative to the account of subject one, from the account of subject two, for the period that was examined,” Lucas said.

The period examined was June 2017-October 2018.

“Having gathered that there is no connection between the two parties, we spoke to the Commissioner, and he is of the view that pending any further or new information...that this matter should be closed.”

Forde said he took the lead in the investigation into the Cambridge Analytica case, in which author Christopher Wylie had written in his book MindF--k: Cambridge Analytica and the Plot to Break America that he had accessed information on TT with the intention of interfering with the electoral process at the 2015 general election.

“As such, several attempts were made to approach several people and organisations who could have helped us with the investigation, but they had no responses from these people. In light of that, we can say that we are stumped.”

Both Lucas and Forde said they went through all means to investigate both matters, but still could not get any evidence to support accusations or claims made in either matter.

Forde said, when police became aware of the claims made in Wylie’s book, they sought to find him to question him, but could not. He added that police made attempts to reach several other people who may have been able to help with the investigation through phone calls, WhatsApp messages, e-mails and written letters.

Forde said they first got a number for Wylie’s attorney and called his office. On the first call, a male voice answered and was cordial but attempts after that went straight to voicemail.

They also reached out to Cambridge Analytica and companies connected to them but got no response.

Asked whether Wylie or any other person making false accusations against high-profile people could face any consequences Forde explained that a person could only be prosecuted for wasteful employment of police time if there is evidence that the person deliberately misled the police.

Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith said while the police did not have an obligation to give a final report on the investigations the police would do what was required to find a resolution to all high-profile cases. He pointed out a trend that politicians would make wild accusations about others without evidence, prompting police to investigate the matter. He said such probes taxed the resources of the police and wasted taxpayers’ money.

Griffith said both investigations took hundreds of hours and came at a seven-figure cost to the state.

“It is a waste of resources, funds of the taxpayers is lost, and when this happens, it means that it takes away from things that should really matter and really count.

“But if we do not deal with this investigation then the individual who is complaining about the action feels he is being ignored. It is unfair to the person who is being accused and it seems like we are trying to cover up.”

He said the political nature of the probes meant that “at times about half the country may not be pleased with the results.

“But as I said, we are not here to please anyone. And if you don’t like the results, well, that’s your problem.”