Derek Achong
Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal has told police that his
implication in Government's $200 cartel claim against a group of
contractors is a fabrication by members of Cabinet.
In a letter sent to acting Supt Yussef Alexander of the
Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau on Thursday, Moonilal's lawyer
Israel Khan, SC, sought to respond to the allegations, which were made
in a civil lawsuit with the contractors and reported to police.
Khan questioned a text message exchange between his client and former
Estate Management and Business Development Company Ltd (EMBD) CEO Gary
Parmassar, which were cited by Minister in the Office of the Attorney
General Stuart Young when he revealed the claim earlier this month.
Young had alleged that the messages showed that Moonilal attempted to
exchange a Housing Development Corporation (HDC) house for Parmassar's
participation in the conspiracy with the contractors.
"The said messages appear to be a cut and paste job which attempts to
link unconnected bits of exchanges to mischievously present a
conspiracy," Khan said as he claimed that the messages were not
certified by a telecommunications provider.
He also noted that the allocation of HDC units was outside the remit
of the Minister of Housing.
Khan accused Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi of making a fraudulent
report to police of the alleged conspiracy.
Khan said: "If the above is true, it reasonably suggested that the
Honorable Attorney General deliberately and willfully supplied
incorrect and erroneous information to the police upon which to
maliciously procure a search warrant with my client's name."
"The Attorney General ought to know or take reasonable steps to know
the correct process used by the HDC to select successful applicants
for housing," he added.
Khan also questioned how Planning Minister Camille Robinson-Regis
procured a copy of a search warrant, which was obtained against
Moonilal. While Robinson-Regis read the warrant in Parliament earlier
this month, it is yet to be executed.
"Please be informed that my client has filed a strenuous complaint
with the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) on this matter since if the
warrant is indeed authentic, it appears Robinson-Regis could only have
received the document from a police office, who would have leaked such
a sensitive document to her," Khan said.
Khan told Alexander that he had written to acting Police Commissioner
Stephen Williams twice about the issue.
The conspiracy allegations were raised in a counterclaim filed in
relation to a series of lawsuits brought by the contracts, who are
seeking payment for construction works done under the previous
administration.
The Government is only challenging a portion of their claims which
relates to work done for the EMBD before the 2015 General Elections.
The contractors named by Young were TN Ramnauth and Company Ltd (TN
Ramnauth), Mootilal Ramhit and Sons Contracting Ltd (Ramhit), Namalco
Construction Services Ltd (Namalco), Fides Ltd (Fides) and Kall
Company Ltd (Kallco).
The Government is alleging that Moonilal, Parmassar and the
contractors were part of a conspiracy to defraud the State through
inflating costs and delivering incomplete work. The contractors have
denied any wrongdoing.
Speaking at a People's National Movement (PNM) political meeting held
at the San Fernando City Hall on Friday night, Young said that
Moonilal will be served with the lawsuit and the warrant soon.
