National Security Minister Questions Reports Of Police Raid At Trinidad Express Newspaper

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago, March 12, 2020 (CMC) – National Security Minister, Stuart Young, has questioned reports, of a police raid, on the offices of the Trinidad Express newspaper.

According to reports, a team, of at least ten members of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), arrived at the newspaper’s office, shortly after 3pm (local time), on Wednesday, and two hours later, two more officers arrived, in a heavily-tinted vehicle, and went into the building.

According to Guardian Media, the officers were trying to obtain documents and information about an article, published in the Sunday Express. 

The raid is believed to be in connection with a story, which exposed that Acting Police Commissioner, Irwin Hackshaw, was flagged by three banks for depositing, close to TT$2 million, in more than 15 personal accounts.

The Police Complaints Authority (PCA) later announce it would launch an investigation into Hackshaw, as well as into the alleged dissemination of “sensitive information”, by officers attached to the Professional Standards Bureau (PSB).

In response, Young said that he was not provided with any information on the action of the TTPS, “nor have I been briefed on it”.

“I believe in the protection of the freedom of press, as well as the principle of media responsibility, and would not condone a breach of either of these two principles. I await the information, surrounding this development,” the National Security Minister said, in a statement.

Meanwhile, Executive Member of the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM), Wesley Gibbings, expressed concern about Wednesday’s actions.

“Big police presence at the Express in Trinidad, investigating a story, published by the newspaper. Have we gone mad?” Gibbings said in a Facebook post.