Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams says the investigation into the removal of the 17 cocaine pellets from a patient by a doctor during a surgery last December remains active. He also yesterday said police had not yet ruled out the possibility of charging the doctor involved.
Speaking in a telephone interview, Williams also revealed he never said the investigation was closed and assured the police probe is still ongoing. He refused to comment on allegations that the doctor was threatened at gunpoint to conduct the surgery. He suggested that the Guardian speak with the doctor about what transpired in the operation, since "I cannot speak to what you are speaking about."
But Williams contended that the police could only act on what they had before them. "I have to speak to what is before me and ensuring that this matter is properly completed. I am not going into the hearsay, him say, he say. That is not my duty, the duty of the police. My duty is to deal with the issues before me." Williams said the police investigated the matter and it had progressed to the point where the DPP was consulted.
"They continue to deal with the matter, it is not closed. I never said it was closed," he said. The acting CoP said when he made the comment at Wednesday’s police press briefing it was because the media had complained the police were not updating the matter and he admitted that there was some delay in updates. But he assured they will update the media when anyone new is introduced in the matter or new information comes to hand.
He declined to respond to Attorney General Anand Ramlogan's statement at Thursday’s post- Cabinet media briefing. He pointed out though, that the AG had not been briefed on the investigation." He also would not confirm or deny whether the doctor was not going to be charged.
"I do not speak to possibilities in an issue. I deal with evidence and if in the investigation done there’s sufficient evidence to prosecute then I would engage the DPP’s office to get guidance and based on that guidance move to prosecute or not," Williams said.