Commissioner has received file on Gray investigation

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

COMMISSIONER of Police Ellison Greenslade yesterday said he has received the finished file on the investigation into alleged judicial interference by MICAL MP V Alfred Gray and the findings will be revealed “soon”.

Speaking to The Tribune, Mr Greenslade said he had not reviewed the file but would do so “very soon” and would then release the findings.

Police interviewed Mr Gray last Friday, according to his lawyer Wayne Munroe, QC.

In a statement, Mr Munroe said his client was interviewed by Acting Deputy Commissioner Anthony Ferguson and Superintendent Sherman Young, the officer-in-charge of the Complaints and Corruption Unit of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

Mr Gray was accompanied by Mr Munroe and lawyer Mario Gray.

“We are assured by the selection of the deputy commissioner of police as the officer to conduct the interview that the Royal Bahamas Police Force is taking this matter with the seriousness that it deserves,” Mr Munroe’s statement said. “The deputy commissioner of police has the benefit of the protection of Article 120 of the Constitution in the discharge of his office.

“Minister Gray was interviewed by the deputy commissioner of police and also gave a (detailed) statement under oath which included five annexures with regard (to) the event being investigated by the Royal Bahamas Police Force at the direction of the attorney general.”

In March, the opposition Free National Movement raised concerns about allegations that Mr Gray used his position to have a man in his constituency freed, following conviction and sentencing. It is claimed that Mr Gray contacted Mayaguana island Administrator Zephaniah Newbold, the sentencing magistrate, to offer “legal advice”.

However, according to media reports Mr Newbold has said he released the convicted youth, Jaquan Charlton, outright “after an order came forth.” He said the young man had not been released on bail as Mr Gray had claimed.

The FNM has called for Mr Gray’s dismissal from Cabinet as minister of agriculture and marine resources. Last month Mr Gray asked Prime Minister Perry Christie to relieve him of the local government portfolio, pending the outcome of the investigation. The prime minister agreed. However, Mr Gray retained his cabinet post as agriculture and marine resources minister.

Comments

Romrok says...

He should have stepped down before it got to this point, the investigation still should have been done, but out of respect for the rule of law and the Bahamian people, he should have stepped down. No respect at all. Along with the rest of them, tarnishing our parliament with their corruption.

Posted 17 April 2015, 1:32 p.m. Suggest removal

duppyVAT says...

The COP is in a catch 22 situation ................. does he want to be the one to find VAG guilty of interference or obstruction of justice/duties of a judicial officer??????

Posted 17 April 2015, 1:47 p.m. Suggest removal

GrassRoot says...

Mr. Greenslade, speaking to the Tribune, revealed that he will pick up the file from his desk after he went to the bathroom, to put it into the lower right drawer of his desk, before locking the desk for the weekend. And in a shocking new development, the PGC's office issued a press release, stating that an announcement in this matter is imminent and will be made soon.

Posted 17 April 2015, 5:54 p.m. Suggest removal

Publius says...

What the police say and the reason he ought to have been fired in the first instance are not one and the same matters, but the government is counting on people believing that the police need to lay a charge, etc against Gray in order to justify his removal from Cabinet - which the police will not do.

Posted 17 April 2015, 6:17 p.m. Suggest removal

Well_mudda_take_sic says...

Has anyone noticed that Greenslade has his rump sitting on so many things these days that he actually appears to sit much higher in his chair!

Posted 19 April 2015, 6:58 a.m. Suggest removal

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