Panday says investigation into account turned over to prosecutors
VALENCIA, Trinidad (AP) — The independent Integrity Commission has completed an investigation into a former prime minister’s London bank account and passed its findings to prosecutors, the politician said yesterday.
Former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday, now Trinidad and Tobago’s main opposition leader, made the announcement at a meeting with supporters in Valencia, 30 miles (50 kilometres) northeast of the capital of Port-of-Spain.
The independent commission, whose members are appointed by the Caribbean country’s president, keeps annual records of the assets of top government officials. The commission had asked Panday to say why he didn’t declare the bank account in London as required by law.
Neither Panday nor the government has said how much was in the account. Panday, who leads the opposition United National Congress party, said the account belonged to his wife, Oma, and that he wasn’t aware he had to declare the assets of his wife.
In 2000, the government under Panday amended the law to require that ministers declare the assets of spouses and dependent children.
The Integrity Commission wrote to Panday saying it had passed its confidential findings to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Panday told supporters. Prosecutors are expected to investigate further to determine whether Panday should be criminally charged.
Panday accused Prime Minister Patrick Manning of plotting to have him arrested. He said that Manning had told reporters in an off-the-record discussion “that next week I shall be arrested”.
“I am not sure how he knew that — whether there is any collusion,” Panday said.
The government didn’t immediately respond to the accusation. Panday insisted that he had done nothing wrong and that he would take the issue “to the public”.