Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar strongly believes there is a serious cover-up in the “Armygate” matter involving Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi’s children’s visit to Camp Cumuto.
And she is now calling on acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams to start an immediate criminal investigation into those responsible for the cover-up.
She made the comment during the United National Congress’ Monday Night Forum at the Don Miguel Hindu School in San Juan on Monday night.
“What we saw play out over the past two days was the Rowley Government infiltrating and compromising the one institution designed to protect our country and that is the Attorney General. We witnessed what I have just called “Armygate”. We saw revealed an attempt at what can only be described as the greatest cover-up in history, all done to protect the sitting Attorney General (AG), Faris Al-Rawi,” Persad-Bissessar said.
She was referring to the issue of photographs which emerged online with the AG’s children holding what appeared to be high-powered weapons on the range at Camp Cumuto. A board of inquiry was set up by the army to investigate the matter.
Persad-Bissessar said senator Wayne Sturge, under the Freedom of Information Act, requested a copy of the board of inquiry report but was refused and instead provided with a letter under the hand of current Chief of Defence Staff Brigadier General Rodney Williams in which it was confirmed Al-Rawi and his children were at Camp Cumuto on October 31, 2016.
She added that it also said that former CDF Major General Kenrick Maharaj, acting on his own volition, authorised the visit and range practice.
“They put the blame that it was the former CDS of the army. As Sturge said, in that report that they sent to him that Faris was never called to give evidence, the former CDS was never called to give evidence, but yet they found that Maharaj was the one who authorised this,” Persad-Bissessar said.
On Sunday, Maharaj issued a statement distancing himself from the visit.
“This is a man who gave his life for our country. They have tried to frame him to protect the AG,” Persad-Bissessar said.
She added that as a result of Maharaj’s claims the UNC “will open this Emailgate and the Opposition will not rest until all is revealed in this matter and those responsible for this cover-up will face the full force of the law.”
Persad-Bissessar also called on Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon to immediately release the inquiry report “so that the nation can see whether there was a cover-up and the extent.”
“I say none will be spared in this investigation. The law must be allowed to take its course. We will not allow the Rowley Government to destroy the TTDF. To do so will leave us all very exposed,” she said.
