‘I was set up’

Roman Catholic Priest Father Jimmy Peters, 41, who was fined $1,000 for possession of marijuana at the Tunapuna Court last week, insisted yesterday that he was set up by the police. He claimed that the police seemed to have an agenda when they arrested him on Wednesday night. “I have been advised not to communicate with the press”, said the priest. Father Peters, dressed in a khaki shirt and jeans appeared distressed when Sunday Newsday spoke with him yesterday. Speaking from behind burglar proofing at the Chaplain’s office at number 2, Carmody Street, St Augustine, Father Peters said that police officers unfairly targetted him, and it appeared that they were parked and waiting for him when they arrested him on Wednesday. Father Peters was allegedly found with a hand-rolled marijuana cigarette in his pants pocket weighing 1.5 grammes. “I was set up,” but I will speak out when the time is right,” said Father Peters. He told Sunday Newsday that he will speak with someone he can trust and added that the incident has left him distressed. He claimed that he was not ready to say more about the incident at this time but assured that he will clear his name. Father Peters then walked away insisting that he could not say anything more. Public Relations officer of the Catholic Church Monsignor Cuthbert Alexander said a charge of marijuana possession against a member of the clergy was unprecedented in the Church’s history. He added that the church was still trying to determine how it should deal with the priest in question.
       
Father Peters, former Couva Parish priest is on sabbatical at the Chapel of the University of the West Indies until the end of the year to facilitate his studies in accountancy. He is the Parish Priest attached to the La Brea RC Church and conducts Sunday Mass at the Church. Father Peters was born and raised at Vessigny Village, Point Fortin and a relative who preferred to remain anonymous said that he travelled abroad recently and appeared to be distraught on his return. Registrar at the UWI William Iton said that the Chaplain’s office is not part of the University of the West Indies and is a separate office although it is located on the compound of the UWI. He added that the Chaplain’s office provides service to students. Administrator of the Maloney RC Church, Janet Wilbur described Father Peters as “a good preacher”. Her only dealings with him, she said, were during the Easter period when he was asked to conduct Easter services at Maloney. “He was good with the services and reached his audience,” she said. “He gave his sermons and after the service he left.” A relative of Father Peters refused to comment on the matter saying only that reports about Peters were inaccurate. Efforts to reach Archbishop Edward Gilbert on the church’s stand in the matter proved futile.