Top anti-corruption cop fumbles over document

A ruling was made yesterday by Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls during the Piarco Airport Inquiry, that the State’s main witness failed to identify a certain document in the manner in which he said he could. In the witness box yesterday was head of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Senior Supt Maurice Piggott, who was asked about documents which were being presented to him by prosecution attorney Gilbert Petersen SC. When asked by Petersen yesterday the means by which he would be able to identify the documents, Piggott said he would be able to identify the documents through his initials which were at back of the documents. However, when Petersen handed Piggott the document, he quickly realised he had made a mistake and sought to correct it.

“It is not by means of my initials at the back of the document, but by my signature and rank which I placed to the front of the document,” Piggott said However Piggott’s mistake drew much attention from the defence team, who all objected strongly. Defence attorney Frank Solomon SC objected, “This is evidence in chief. He knew he had mislead the court when he looked at the document. He has failed to identify the document, and therefore it is not admissible. He should not even have the option to correct himself.” In trying to explain to the magistrate, Petersen told the court he did not look at the document to see whether or not Piggott had in fact put his initials at the back.

After hearing similar objections from the rest of the defence team, the Chief Magistrate ruled that the Anti-Corruption Bureau head did not identify the document and as a result, did not admit the document. Eight persons and three companies are charged with a total of 21 offences relating to the new terminal development project at Piarco Airport. They are former government ministers Brian Kuei Tung and Russel Huggins; CEO of Northern Construction Ltd (NCL) Ish Galbaransingh; CEO of Maritime General Insurance Company John Henry Smith; Maritime Group of Companies chairman Steve Ferguson; company secretary Barbara Gomes; businesswoman Renee Pierre, and Fidelity Insurance and Leasing Company Ltd. Hearing resumes next Tuesday.