Dudus-Manatt enquiry begins on Monday

The Commission of enquiry into the handling of the Christopher 'Dudus' Coke extradition request and the subsequent hiring of the United States (US) law firm, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, will hold its first sitting on Monday and is appealing to the public to come forward with evidence.

The appeal, which was made through a notice published in the media yesterday, invited members of the public to submit signed statements to the secretary of the commission at its Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, offices.

With a $39.4-million budget in place, the commission, chaired by attorney-at-law Emil George, will hold hearings at the conference centre.

Prominent attorney Donald Scharschmidt and retired Permanent Secretary Anthony Irons are the other commissioners.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding announced the commission of enquiry in October, bowing to public pressure.

In May, Golding instructed Attorney General Dorothy Lightbourne to sign the extradition request for Coke, nine months after it came from Washington.

The Government dismissed speculation that it was shielding the alleged crime lord, claiming that the delay was due to the lack of information about his co-conspirators and that evidence cited in the extradition request was illegally obtained.

More than 70 people were killed in fierce gunfights between members of the security forces and gunmen loyal to Coke, who tried to prevent the police from entering his Tivoli Gardens stronghold to arrest him.

Head of the People's National Party Communications Commission, Dr Peter Phillips, had raised questions in Parliament about the hiring of United States law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips through local attorney, Harold Brady, to represent the Jamaican Government on extradition matters.

Golding initially denied knowledge of the hiring, but later admitted that he sanctioned it in his capacity as leader of the Jamaica Labour Party, prompting calls for his resignation.