T&T Police Extend Investigation Into “Alleged Marijuana Find” At PM’s Private Residence

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad CMC – Police say they have extended, by two weeks, an investigation into the alleged discovery of marijuana at the private residence of Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar, two years ago.

“I have given a clear mandate to the investigator that this matter should be treated with priority, because it is a concern within the nation, and he is treating it as such priority. I have given him an extension of two weeks because he has not completed his investigation over the period of one month. So I have given him two weeks more to complete the investigation,” Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Henry has said.

The investigation is being carried out under the supervision of acting ACP Ainsley Garrick and Williams  insisted that no preferential treatment is being given to the Prime Minister, or will be given to any group or individuals in this matter.

Last month Williams, had initially denied knowledge of the discovery of “five grammes of a ‘plant-like material’ resembling that of marijuana” had been found at a gazebo on her premises two years ago.

Prime Minister Persad Bissessar had also denied any knowledge of the incident which came to the public attention after the Trinidad Express newspaper carried a front page story in which former national security minister Jack Warner was quoted as saying that on Friday, April 12, 2013, former deputy Commissioner of Police Mervyn Richardson came to the Parliament and informed him that a packet containing four ounces of marijuana was found outside a window of the prime minister’s private residence at Phillipine, south of here.

Warner has since submitted a statement dated June 6, 2015 to Justice of the Peace Anthony Soulette with the allegation.

He said after he was approached by the former senior police officer, he summoned Leader of Government Business, Dr. Roodal Moonilal, who advised him to contact the Prime Minister who was in New York at the time.

Warner claimed when he contacted the prime minister, she was surprised and enquired whether she should return home immediately and resign.

He claimed further that he advised Persad Bissessar to not resign as he, Richardson, Moonilal and former national security adviser Gary Griffith would cover up the marijuana matter.

All three men had denied any knowledge of the incident.

Last month, the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) says it too had launched its own investigation to determine whether there was any criminal misconduct by police officers into the alleged discovery.