Gobind wants AG to substantiate decision on scandals
The MP wants the AG to confirm whether he refused consent and why it was refused. He reckons that the documents sought through the MLA process were essential to ascertain the money-trail leading to the deposits in an account relevant to that investigation.
“Without that documentary evidence sought, how did he verify the purported claim that the said monies were from a donation?”
He noted that the decision has now been thrown open by the particulars set out in a civil suit by the US Department of Justice (DoJ).
Apandi Ali, said Gobind in referring to reported remarks by the AG, had claimed that all decisions were made with reference to evidence. That, he continued, doesn’t tally with the refusal to grant consent for MLA. “The alleged failure to consent to a request for assistance has seriously impacted on the case.”
As a result of the refusal, he argued, the AG was now not in a position to dispute the claims made by the DoJ that the monies originated from elsewhere.
He urged the AG to agree to a public disclosure of all the documents he has in his possession to help substantiate his position that the monies were indeed from a donation. “This should dispel concerns over his decision not to prosecute in those cases.”
The MP warned the AG not to expect the people to just sit back and take anything that he says without thinking about it at all. The AG cannot just say and expect everyone to accept that he “explains” how his decision is based solely on “the evidence in possession”, said Gobind. “The question was whether he had all the necessary documents before him which were necessary to make a proper decision.”
The MP said that he will, in future, move on to a second aspect which relates to some of the facts disclosed in the DoJ suit and how it has reference to possible criminal concerns. “Therefore, not naming anyone or charging anyone specifically for now, was irrelevant and does not really change anything at all in this case.”
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