Minnis: I met criminal but did not discuss Nygard

By TANEKA THOMPSON

Tribune News Editor

tmthompson@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday admitted that he met with Livingston “Toggie” Bullard, one of two men named in an affidavit filed in court by Save the Bays (STB) as being allegedly hired by Peter Nygard to commit criminal acts.

Dr Minnis told The Tribune that Mr Bullard, his constituent in Killarney whom he said he met three times, contacted him to pass on a warning to then-FNM Chairman Michael Pintard that he was about to be allegedly “set up” by a high ranking member of government and others.

Dr Minnis was adamant that the two men never discussed Mr Nygard, adding that he did not hear of the alleged murder-for-hire plot until The Tribune published claims in an affidavit filed on March 9 by directors of Save the Bays.

“One of the chaps, ‘Toggie’, called me, a constituent, and said to me that Michael Pintard is going to a meeting and (a member of government) going to set him up,” Dr Minnis said. “He stopped by me and said the same thing. I called Pintard and told him.”

“His exact words were ‘Pintard is going to a meeting, warn Pintard not to go because (name omitted) and them trying to set him up’. That would have been the end of it.”

Dr Minnis said he did not know what Mr Pintard’s meeting was about, but he did warn the former senator not to go to any sit down.

When asked why he did not reveal this when he spoke about the Nygard controversy in the House of Assembly last Monday, Dr Minnis responded that he told his parliamentary members about it. “I didn’t know the details (of the alleged murder plot) until I saw it in the paper, then I told my parliamentary group about it.”

He said he told FNM parliamentarians that he was more than willing to share this information with the police.

Three weeks after Dr Minnis’ initial meeting with Mr Bullard, the man called him after a fishing trip and dropped off some of his catch. Dr Minnis said during that encounter the two men talked about fish and had a casual conversation. Dr Minnis said his wife, Patricia, was also present and asked Mr Bullard about his family. He said he met Mr Bullard a third time when the self-proclaimed gang member again brought him fish.

He said he could not say the exact dates of these meetings.

In the STB affidavit by US investigator John Joseph DiPaolo, Mr Bullard and Wilser “Bobo” Davilma claim they were allegedly hired by Mr Nygard to commit murder and other criminal acts against the STB environmental group. Mr Nygard has filed a counter affidavit denying the claims, alleging that the men were paid for “false testimony.”

Mr Pintard, who resigned as FNM senator and chairman yesterday, was also named in the STB affidavit as being instrumental in uncovering the alleged plot.

Since The Tribune broke the story, recordings have surfaced on social media purportedly of Mr Pintard meeting to discuss payment for the two gang members in exchange for testimony.

The affidavit was included in a lawsuit filed against Mr Nygard and lawyer Keod Smith by four STB directors - Joseph Darville, Romauld Ferreira, Fred Smith and Louis Bacon - and Reverend CB Moss, who is not a STB member.

The organisation claimed in its Supreme Court filing that the two criminals had been paid to turn against Mr Nygard. The criminals were tracked down with the help of Mr Pintard, according to Mr DiPaolo’s affidavit, which noted it was the senator who alerted Fred Smith that the men were behind protests against STB.