By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

MINISTER of Education Jeff Lloyd yesterday denied “scurrilous lies” he had any proof of Derek Rolle-Kelly’s purported inheritance due to his brief stint representing his estate in the probate of his will.

In a statement released after documents of the probate application bearing Mr Lloyd’s signature were leaked online last month, and its contents were discussed on a local TV show on Wednesday night, Mr Lloyd said he told Rolle-Kelly’s sister that he was advised after inquries to a local bank that “no such money existed.”

He added he has asked the police to investigate who is behind accusations posted to social media against him that amount to “criminal libel”.

Earlier yesterday, Mr Lloyd told The Tribune Rolle-Kelly’s sister Sandra Dill approached his law firm, Colonels Chambers, along with his legal partner Paul Moss, to represent the estate in the probate process.

He stressed he never met Rolle-Kelly, who is deceased, and never received any confirmation or proof of his money.

“We engaged Ms Dill,” Mr Lloyd said, “she provided us with a will. We made an application and that’s where it stands, and stood, at the time I left the matter.”

He continued: “I never met with Mr Rolle, I know nothing about monies, and got no confirmation from anybody that money existed. According to instructions, I pursued avenues to reclaim information and the bank responded and said they had no account. “So the only involvement I have in the matter, this woman came to the law firm, I dealt with it in terms of seeking an application before the court for the will or estate to be probated.

“They presented this will, which included disbursement of funds that were supposed to be in some bank. Upon investigation the bank confirmed there was no such account.

“As best as we know,” he added, “the probate division never dealt with the matter, possibly because the contents of will were so utterly unbelievable that I presume they just left it on the grounds of not being serious.”

Renewed social media fervour over Mr Lloyd’s purported involvement follows a parliamentary address by Finance Minister Peter Turnquest two weeks ago. Mr Turnquest stated no public entity, including the Central Bank, has had or does have knowledge or possession of any funds related to this alleged inheritance.

The finance minister sought to bring an end to a 20-year conspiracy the government and a local bank thwarted Mr Rolle Kelly’s alleged billions.

Several weeks ago, Centreville MP Reece Chipman asked the House of Assembly for a select committee to investigate this case.

He also stood on a point of order saying it was important that the government did its due diligence and came to a conclusion on this situation as it implicated many persons

Yesterday, Mr Lloyd said he was under the impression that his role as a private lawyer had already been addressed in a government statement. He said he spoke with the Attorney General’s Office in response to viral social media allegations in late January

Mr Lloyd said: “That was from about October 2016 up to the end of February 2017. My involvement had nothing to do as minister of government, I left that around March 2017 to focus on becoming an elected member of Parliament, that was the end of that.”

He added: “And my carriage of the matter as an application before the court doesn’t mean I endorse the contents of the will. Any more than a criminal attorney is endorsing the plea of a client, you are there representing your client.”

In his statement released last night, Mr Lloyd went further: “In my private law practice, sometime towards the end of 2016, I was instructed by a relative of the late Derrick Rolle to make inquiries on her behalf as to the existence or whereabouts of his alleged inheritance money to a leading commercial bank in the Bahamas. My associate at that time, attorney Paul Moss, also wrote some letters.

“I was advised by that institution that no such money existed and I so advised his sister. I am consequently entirely unaware of the existence of whereabouts of any such alleged money. Pursuant to that relative’s instructions, I also applied to the Supreme Court Probate Division on behalf of the late Mr Rolle’s estate. Up to the time I left Colonels Chambers in March 2017, to offer as a candidate in the 2017 general elections, the said Probate Division had not concluded its process.0

“In respect of scurrilous lies reported in certain social media postings of Facebook, I wish to affirmatively state that I never received -- nor did the law firm in which I worked ever, while I was there receive -- any money allegedly belonging to the estate of Derrick Rolle and so, I was never ‘in charge of Derrick’s funds’ and had nothing to take for myself, or to turn over to ‘the government.’

“I am also advised that neither this scurrilous lie, nor any other matter involving me is ‘before the AG’ or his office. I have written a formal complaint to the police, requesting a full investigation to determine the identity of the person involved in this criminal libel and fully intend to request that charges of criminal libel be brought against him or her, once that person is identified.”