Journalist apologises to SIS's Krishna Lalla

A journalist has apologised to contractor Krishna Lalla for an online publication he wrote and posted on two websites in 2020.

Aleem Khan also agreed to retract the article published on February 20, 2020, headlined: Where did the money go? Lalla’s Panama properties found, on his www.news.co.tt and www.connectas.org websites.

Khan’s apology and agreement were previously approved by Justice Ricky Rahim and entered in an order which Lalla’s attorneys Kiel Taklalsingh and Stefan Ramkissoon recently received.

In the order, Khan said he wanted to retract the article he wrote and having reviewed the documentation, “cannot substantiate the allegations.”

The order set out the five allegations.

“In the circumstances, I wish to disassociate myself with the content of same and withdraw all allegations made against Mr. Lalla.”

He had seven days to sign and publish the retraction on his website.

Lalla, founder of the conglomerate Super Industrial Services Ltd, sued Khan after the publication, and the matter was expected to go to trial in October.

The apology was posted to www.news.co.tt, which redirects to a TikTok account.

The apology set out the five allegations in detail relating to the contentious $1.6 billion Beetham Wastewater Plant, abandoned in 2015 after the general election that year. The project was later shelved by NGC and the plant’s assets were handed over to the Water and Sewerage Authority. The NGC also instituted legal action against SIS which is in arbitration. On February 19, 2020, the NGC won its lawsuit against SIS over an alleged move to dispose of its assets pending the resolution of arbitration proceedings over the controversial plant.

SIS has since appealed that ruling.