If the police wish to see me they must follow the proper protocol... I will not tolerate such disrespect - Seaga - File POLICE YESTERDAY officially started probing allegations made by Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Leader Edward Seaga, that 'tainted money' was used to contest the recent deputy leadership election which saw two of his closet allies defeated.
The police are expected to interview Seaga as soon as they obtain an appointment.
But in a release issued yesterday, Mr. Seaga chided the police who he claimed disrespected him in their attempt to interview him at his office. He said "if the police wish to see me they must follow the proper protocol of seeking an appointment from my office rather than offensively calling my home at 8:00 a.m. and barging into my office while I am involved in an appointment." He warned that "I will not tolerate such disrespect."
UNSUCCESSFUL
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Lucius Thomas, told The Gleaner yesterday that the police had made several attempts to contact Mr. Seaga, but were unsuccessful. He said it is unclear at the moment if the JLP Leader will co-operate with investigators probing the case. "We have been making appointments to speak to him but we have not got him yet. We will try to tie him down to an appointment."
DCP Thomas has made it clear that the police will proceed with investigating the allegations despite Friday's statement by Mr. Seaga that he was satisfied that no "tainted money" was used in the campaign. "That will not stop us one way or the other. Whatever they say doesn't affect us. We are going ahead with the investigation," Thomas said in an earlier interview with The Sunday Gleaner.
Police Commissioner Francis Forbes ordered DCP Thomas to investigate the allegations following receipt of a letter from Daryl Vaz, head of treasury for James Robertson's campaign. Mr. Vaz had asked the Commissioner to investigate Mr. Seaga's claims.
Mr. Robertson was one of two candidates who contested the deputy leader election for Area Council 2 held on November 9 during the party's Annual Conference. Robertson defeated Seaga loyalist Olivia 'Babsy' Grange. Dr. Horace Chang emerged winner in the race for deputy leader of Area Council 4, removing incumbent Ed Bartlett, another Seaga loyalist.
