Police investigators yesterday questioned former national security minister Gary Griffith as the probe continued into Police Complaints Authority director David West’s allegation that former attorney general Anand Ramlogan attempted to pervert the course of justice. While investigators have been keeping the details of their probe close to their chests, one police source yesterday revealed Griffith spent several hours being grilled by investigators assigned by Deputy Commissioner of Police Harold Phillip.
The source said when Griffith, who filed police statements in the ongoing matter earlier this month, emerged from the office just after 4 pm yesterday, he seemed visibly upset and was heard commenting that Ramlogan had asked him “just five words” and it led to “all of this.” The T&T Guardian attempted to contact Griffith several times yesterday evening but his mobile phone had been switched off.
On January 29 West delivered a statement to acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams, in which he claimed Ramlogan had asked him to withdraw his (West) witness statement in the defamation lawsuit involving People’s National Movement leader Dr Keith Rowley, in exchange for West being selected for the PCA job. That lawsuit involves the failed extradition of Section 34 applicants Steve Ferguson and Ish Galbaransingh.
The police probe was announced later that same day. Ramlogan, who has denied the claims, was removed from office by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who noted that the probe was one of the reasons for his removal. She also removed Griffith as well after he became embroiled in the debacle between Ramlogan and West.
Griffith has confirmed that he was approached by Ramlogan to use his friendship with West to confirm “if West recalled the documents” in the Section 34 lawsuit. He has maintained, however, that he was not aware of exactly what the “documents” in question were but was just delivering a message on Ramlogan’s behalf when he approached West in the matter. He has also claimed that some of his former Cabinet colleagues attempted to get him to change his mind when he supported West’s claims.