ACP Piggott under pressure for absences

Head of the Anti Corruption Bureau, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Maurice Piggott was yesterday refused leave by the presiding magistrate in the Piarco Airport Inquiry to attend an anti-crime conference in Caracas, Venezuela which is due to begin next week. Piggott, the State’s main witness in the billion dollar corruption allegation matter, is presently giving his evidence in chief at the preliminary inquiry into allegations of corruption during the construction of the Piarco Airport project. 

While in the witness box yesterday, and under questioning from prosecution attorney Karla Browne Antoine, Piggott’s request for leave was brought up before presiding Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls. When the magistrate asked the reason for his leave of absence from the proceedings from December 6 - 10, Piggott said there was a conference he needed to attend. “As Acting Assistant Commissioner, with responsibility for crime, in criminal areas, I was asked to represent the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service at a seminar on trans-national crime. The seminar is being held in Caracas, Venezuela from the sixth to the tenth of December,” Piggott said.  Questioned further, Piggott told the magistrate that he was carded to leave on the afternoon of December 5 and would return either the following Saturday or Sunday, but would definitely arrive for the following Monday’s proceedings.

Asked whether there was anyone else who could attend on his behalf, the recently appointed ACP told magistrate Mc Nicolls, “No one can attend on my behalf. “This conference forms part of a series of seminars that I have attended, so to delegate someone else, that person would not be able to make a proper contribution.” After Piggott’s explanation, Mc Nicolls interjected, “But you were not ACP then.” The Anti Crime Unit head then felt the wrath of defence attorneys who all expressed their concern over the ACP’s absence during the proceedings of the airport inquiry.

Pointing to eight accused persons sitting in the prisoners docks, defence attorney Vernon De Lima told Mc Nicolls, “The people sitting there are all very anxious to have the matter dealt with.” Supporting the sentiments expressed by his colleague, defence attorney Frank Solomon SC went off on the point, citing reasons why the Anti Corruption head should not attend the conference.  “While I note that the experience would be an educational one for Mr Piggott, the issue here is not whether he is available to be in court, but more so, is he available to attend the seminar?” Solomon continued, “What we have to look at here is how many parties will be affected by Mr Piggott’s absence from the court proceedings as opposed to the parties at the seminar. “The inconvenience to everyone here in this courtroom, accused persons and attorneys is more than that of the persons attending the seminar.  The effects on the persons at the seminar are minimal!” At the end of the proceedings yesterday, Mc Nicolls warned Piggott to return on Monday December 6, when hearing will resume.