Panday insists: London account not mine

As soon as Assistant Police Commissioner Wellington Virgil said this yesterday, Panday, sitting in the dock, covered his face and laughed heartily. He responded, “thanks Mr. Virgil, I did not even remember I said that.”

Virgil was the head of the Fraud Squad in 2002 when he began investigations into a report that Panday failed to declare a Nat West bank account in London. Panday, former Prime Minister, is before Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls in the Port-of-Spain Eighth Magistrates’ Court charged with making a false declaration in that he failed to declare his London bank account for the years 1997, 1998, and 1999.

Virgil said that on August 20, 2002, he obtained a warrant to search Panday’s house at Ocean Avenue, Gulf View, San Fernando. He proceeded to this address on the same day where he met and interviewed Panday. He went there with acting Supt Glenroy Woodley and other officers of the Fraud Squad.

Virgil said he identified himself to Panday. He informed Panday that he (Panday) submitted a declaration of income, assets and liabilities to the Integrity Commission on April 9, 1999 and he failed to declare a bank account he held with his wife in London for the year 1997. He also informed Panday that he failed to declare the account for the years 1998 and 1999.

Virgil said he showed Panday the declaration forms which he (Panday) signed. He pointed out the relevant entries, indicating that he had accounts with Bank of Commerce, Gulf City and at Republic Bank, but that he failed to declare his London bank account.

Virgil said he cautioned Panday and told him of his right to have an attorney or a friend. It was then that Panday replied, “a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client. I prefer to have a fool as a client than a fool for a lawyer.”

When Virgil made this statement, there was laughter in the court. Even Panday became hysterical by the statement and he could not help but laugh out.

Virgil said he cautioned Panday a second time. Panday said he had seen the letter he had sent to the Registrar of the Integrity Commission concerning the London account, but he did not see the reply from the Commission.

Virgil said he showed Panday the letters and Panday then responded that he was not the beneficial owner of the London account, and that he did not consider the account to be part of his assets.

Virgil asked Panday if he wanted to give a written statement about the matter to which Panday said no. Panday, according to the witness, said that he had already said what he had to say to the Integrity Commission.

“Mr. Panday then asked me what offence I was investigating and I told him that I was investigating a breach of the Integrity in Public Life Act. I told him I had a warrant to search his premises. I searched the premises, but I found nothing of relevance.”

Virgil said that on September 18, 2002, he obtained a written consent from the Director of Public Prosecutions and served three summonses on Panday. When the summonses were served Panday said he had nothing to say and that he had already said all to the Commission.

Cross-examined by Panday’s lead attorney Allan Newman QC, Virgil said the former Prime Minister was very cooperative.

Asked what he was looking for at the Panday residence, Virgil said anything connected to the Nat West account - bank statements, cheque books and letters. He said nothing of the sort was found at Panday’s home. He said there was a study room at Panday’s residence with a lot of documents.

He searched the premises the best way he could have done.

When he was re-examined by lead prosecutor Sir Timothy Cassel QC, Virgil said Panday shared the house at Gulf View with his wife Oma.