Saturday, March 20 2010

ATTORNEY General John Jeremie, in a statement in Parliament yesterday, said Prime Minister Patrick Manning has a right to answer allegations made against him in an affidavit sworn by Jamaat leader Yasin Abu Bakr in 2006.

“The Honourable Prime Minister like any other citizen has a right to answer the allegations which have been made in the affidavit,” Jeremie said. “This is exactly what I understand to be taking place.”

The Attorney General’s comments came after officers of the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau interviewed Manning on Wednesday. ACIB officers also on that day interviewed Works and Transport Minister Colm Imbert, who is mentioned in Bakr’s affidavit.

“The Honourable Minister of Works was a member of Cabinet at the time that these matters are alleged to have taken place,” Jeremie said. “And therefore is a likely candidate for interview in the investigative process. Other Government ministers are in a similar position. That, is all that has transpired thus far.

“The law is taking its course as it must for there to be integrity in the legal process.

“I wish to report that the ACIB and the Central Authority have been diligently pursuing this matter.”