Senior cop slammed for ‘editing’ court documents

Recently appointed acting Commissioner of Police, Maurice Piggott, was yesterday described as “a wild horse uncontrolled” by a senior defence attorney at the resumption of the Piarco Airport Inquiry. The statement came as Piggott, who is also head of the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau, was testifying during the inquiry into allegations of corruption arising out of the airport development project. Piggott, who was being led into evidence by State attorney Carla Browne Antoine, told the court yesterday of a question and answer interview he conducted with one of the accused. During Piggott’s testimony, SC Frank Solomon took strong objection, telling presiding magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls that the witness (Piggott) was being “careless administratively.”

Solomon’s objections came about when Piggott was giving his evidence-in-chief and reading a transcript of the interview conducted  to the court. Solomon complained that Piggott was “not reading what was there, but rather editing the document.” “What he is doing is not permissible. He was saying something other than that which is there. You, the magistrate, have to ensure what the witness is saying is admissible. It is clear that he edited this statement,” Solomon said. Solomon also told the court that the purpose of the interview is to get certain clarification of the facts. “What is inadmissible about speculation, is that it is irrelevant and you cannot speculate in a court of law.” In response, State attorney Browne Antoine told the magistrate that the State was only doing what it was required to do — that is — put what the accused said before the court.

“There is no issue of speculative evidence since the interview reflected the answer of the accused. This cannot be deemed as speculative evidence. The purpose of the interview is to show the reaction of the accused by questions being asked. This is the interview of the accused accurately recorded.” 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 today.