Cayman Islands’ elected leaders appeared to take a step back Thursday from previous statements about an on-going police misconduct probe being conducted here by officers from the UK Metropolitan Police force
Mr. Tibbetts |
But they insisted the man in charge of that probe, Senior Investigating Officer Martin Bridger, should be sent home and a timeline set for the ‘winding up’ of on-going investigations involving former Police Commissioner Stuart Kernohan and other top-ranking Royal Cayman Islands Police officers.
‘We are not promoting or suggesting for a second that whatever investigation is needed should discontinue,’ Leader of Government Business Kurt Tibbetts said. ‘What we’re saying is, based on the performance with the (Justice Alexander) Henderson fiasco, that it was in everybody’s best interests for the lead investigator, Mr. Bridger, to be disassociated from the continuation of any investigations that may have been needed.’
Mr. Tibbetts said he expected Governor Stuart Jack to make a statement ‘very shortly’ about how the investigation will be handled in the future. That statement was not forthcoming as of press time Thursday.
At a press briefing on 6 November, Mr. Tibbetts said the following in a prepared statement in reference to the UK Met investigation: ‘We have to shut this down and take whatever steps necessary to bring closure to this disgraceful and terribly damaging episode in the history of these islands. We have called upon the Governor to bring these investigations to a close and to dispatch Mr. Bridger and his team from these islands ASAP.’
Mr. Henderson was arrested 24 September on suspicion of misconduct in a public office. His home and office were searched by investigators and he was held in lock up for questioning for several hours.
A visiting judge later ruled that those searches were done improperly and illegally, and left open the possibility that Justice Henderson could collect damages for the foul up. Mr. Henderson’s attorneys are also challenging his arrest, claiming it was unlawful.
Cabinet ministers acknowledged that Cayman could be left with legal bills to pay based on the outcome of any lawsuits filed by Mr. Henderson. They also questioned the validity of any probe being conducted while Mr. Bridger remained as the lead investigator.
No response has been made to repeated enquiries sent to Mr. Bridger by the Caymanian Compass in recent weeks.
‘Bridger himself has said that the judiciary cannot be trusted, he has said a number of very unflattering things about the Chief Justice,’ Education Minister Alden McLaughlin said. ‘And from a very practical standpoint, which tribunal is ever going to convict anyone based on an investigation run by Martin Bridger or evidence that is given by Martin Bridger?’
There are two individuals facing trial next year based on charges that were brought by the UK Met investigating team.
Former MLA Lyndon Martin is accused of lying to investigators and burglary committed by way of trespass. Deputy Police Commissioner Rudi Dixon faces charges of misconduct and doing acts tending and intended to pervert the course of public justice.
Mr. Kernohan and RCIPS Chief Superintendent John Jones are still under investigation by the Met team, but have not been arrested or charged. Mr. Kernohan was fired by the Governor on Tuesday after repeatedly refusing to return to Cayman from his native Scotland.
The former commissioner’s attorneys have implied that legal action could be taken on Mr. Kernohan’s behalf.
Investigation funding
Despite statements made at the 6 November press briefing, Cabinet ministers said Thursday that they did not know the full cost of the on-going UK Met probe, were not aware of exactly how the money was being spent, or who was in control of it.
‘I hate to sound ignorant or impotent, but that’s a fact,’ Mr. Tibbetts said. ‘Those are not matters which are generally shared (unless finance committee is asked to approve the funds).’
Budget figures obtained by the Caymanian Compass revealed that $1.67 million had been spent on the investigation through 30 June, 2008. An additional $800,000 is estimated to have been spent since 1 July for investigators’ work, but Cabinet officials said they could not confirm that figure.
Education Minister Alden McLaughlin said earlier this month that some $4 million had been spent on the probe, and stood by that figure on Thursday though he could not produce any documents to support it.
‘We have very clear indications…that the numbers that we are talking about now are in the $4 million range,’ Mr. McLaughlin said. ‘What the Leader is saying is that we don’t have official information to that effect.’
Governor Jack has repeatedly refused to answer Compass queries about how much this investigation has cost and precisely what the money has been spent on.
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