Minister to be cautioned by cops

Diego Martin West MP Dr Keith Rowley will be cautioned shortly by police officers probing an allegation of assault made against him by Fyzabad MP Chandresh Sharma. Sources revealed yesterday that Dr Rowley could remain silent or give a statement to the investigators. Under the Judges Rule, any police officer investigating a crime report must caution that person in accordance with the Judge’s Rule. The caution which will be read to Dr Rowley will state, “You are not obliged to say anything unless you wish to do so, and that whatever you say will be taken down in writing and may be given in evidence.” The Judge’s Rule is a guideline for police officers to follow in investigating any crime. Sources also revealed that Sharma has already supplied ASP Martin Morrain, the chief investigator, with a statement implicating Dr Rowley in at least two charges. Couva South MP Kelvin Ramnath, Dr Roodal Moonilal, the Oropuche MP and others have already given statements to the police.

Member of Parliament for Tobago Stanford Callender has already been interviewed by the police and is expected to supply them with a statement next week. Police sources revealed that Parliamentary staff are yet to be interviewed in the probe. When the investigation is completed, the file will be sent to the Assistant Commissioner North Wellington Virgil, who will then send it to ACP James Philbert. The file will then be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for his directions in the matter. On September 15, Sharma made a report to officers of the Central Police Station that Housing Minister  Dr Keith Rowley threw a coffee cup, two remote controls and a Panasonic cordless phone at Sharma. That first report was made to the police at 3.30 pm.

In a later report to the police at 4.31 pm on September 15, Sharma also reported that “Rowley pushed him in his face and chest several times with his hand.” Sharma stated in his report that he was sitting in the tea room at the Parliament in the company of Roodal Moonilal, Kelvin Ramnath, Stanford Callendar and Rowley when he and Rowley began having a conversation about housing arrangements in Trinidad and Grenada. “Mr Rowley became aggrieved and proceeded to pelt a coffee cup at Mr Sharma,” the diary said. “It is also alleged that Mr Rowley pelted two remote controls and a Panasonic cordless at Mr Sharma hitting him in his stomach.” The House Privileges Committee meets tomorrow to deliberate over the tea room brawl.