TT top cop now wants probe of bribery allegations against Warner

The Trinidad and Tobago police say it will approach the world’s football governing body, FIFA, for information in relation to bribery allegations made against its suspended vice president, Austin Jack Warner, who is also a senior government minister here.



In an apparent about turn from a previous decision not to initiative investigations into the matter that has gained widespread coverage, the police in a statement said that while it has not received any official report by any member of society on the allegations “it is our intention to write to FIFA requesting any information which they may have in their possession which may afford us the opportunity of commencing any investigation/s into any alleged criminal activity within our jurisdiction”.



Earlier this week, Police Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs said that law enforcement authorities here would not investigate the allegations made against Warner, who is also the Minister of Works and Transport, and former FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam.



Both men were suspended by the international football organization after they were accused of offering US$40,000 to national associations of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) at a meeting in Trinidad on May 10 and 11, in return for their votes in the FIFA presidential election on June 1.



Both men have denied the allegations and Warner has dismissed calls for him to step down from his ministerial post pending the outcome of the investigations by FIFA’s Ethics Committee.



He has also received the backing of Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar, who said he remains innocent until proven guilty.



Opposition Leader Dr. Keith Rowley has already warned that the main opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) is giving Gibbs, a Canadian national, five days to reverse his "untenable" position.



“Persons have admitted to making money available and making payments in Trinidad and Tobago to Caribbean Football Union officials,” Rowley said, adding “we have information that suggests we should enter into some sort of criminal investigation. There are a lot of allegations coming through the media".



Rowley said that Gibbs had adopted an "irresponsible position which was tantamount to a dereliction of duty".



He said should the Police Commissioner, who is on a contract, fails to begin the probe, a formal complaint would be made to the Police Service Commission (PSC).



In the statement, the police sought to assure the public that “there is no dereliction of duty by the Commissioner of the Police.



“The public is hereby advised that to date, there has been no official report made by any member of society, neither has there been any official report made by any official of the Federation International of Football Association (FIFA) with regards to any alleged criminal conduct offered within Trinidad and Tobago by any named individual or individuals.



“In the circumstances, it is impracticable to commence any criminal investigation into any alleged criminal conduct based on reports carried by the media.”



The statement also makes reference to the allegations by the opposition that at least one million US dollars had entered the country without proper documentation.



“With respect to the alleged US$1 million, the Comptroller of Customs has jurisdiction over this matter as the Exchange Control (Import and Export) Order and the Exchange Control Act provides Customs with the Authority.



“Specifically clause (3) which states: "There shall be exempted from the provisions of section 22(1)(b) of the Act the importation into Trinidad and Tobago by traveller on his person or in his baggage of foreign currency notes which are or have at any time been legal tender in any country to the extent of US$5,000 currency in value."



Former junior national security minister Fitzgerald Hinds, who had written to Gibbs on the bribery allegation, said he was pleased with the decision by the Police Commissioner to launch the investigation.



“We (Opposition) are happy that the Police Commissioner has recanted from the comfortable position he had previously taken. He is beginning his inquires by making a request to FIFA...That is a good place to start,” Hinds said.



On Friday, the President of the Police Second Division Social Welfare Association, Anand Ramesar publicly disagreed with the position adopted by Gibbs saying he found “ the comments by the Commissioner a bit confusing in the sense that on one hand he is saying there will be a proactive approach to policing so that when one looks at the process of investigations an investigation is generally triggered by a complaint and there is no requirement for evidence at the case of the complaint”.