By Sue-Ann Wayow
PRESIDENT Paula-Mae Weekes is being called upon to officially tell the country whether she was involved in the alleged agreement to provide a presidential pardon to state witness and whistleblower Vincent Nelson.
The call is coming from Opposition Member of Parliament Dr Roodal Moonilal.
Speaking at the Opposition press briefing on Sunday, Dr Moonilal said, “Today I call now on the President’s Office, indicate whether or not Her Excellency Paula-Mae Weekes was involved in this matter, whether the President had knowledge that a pardon had already been discussed and agreed upon to come to her to sign off… whether or not the President Office was involved in this, like the Merit List.”
He continued, “This is akin to a controversy, a scandal beyond words, that the President’s Office could have been involved in a conspiracy to induce a witness in a criminal matter by way of granting a Presidential pardon.”
Dr Moonilal said while he is hoping that was not the case, if the President was indeed involved, it would be “the undermining of one of the highest offices in the land.”
Outlining the issue of Nelson’s court matter, Dr Moonilal referred to a Sunday Express report on October 16, 2022, titled, “Nelson’s $100m claim unsealed… Alleges Al-Rawi promised him a presidential pardon”.
In that article it was reported that Nelson is claiming then-attorney general Faris Al-Rawi promised a presidential pardon would be given to him if he gave evidence against former attorney general Anand Ramlogan and attorney Gerald Ramdeen.
The article was published after the DPP discontinued criminal charges against Ramlogan and Ramdeen, noting that Nelson has refused to give evidence until his civil claim against the AG was completed.
According to the Opposition, the Presidential pardon for Nelson was deemed to be necessary because he was the subject of a criminal investigation under the UK Bribery Act.
The Opposition in a subsequent media release on Monday stated, “This agreement to pardon Nelson appears to be a conspiracy by Faris Al-Rawi and Vincent Nelson along with their attorneys and the Minister of National Security to have Nelson escape prosecution and imprisonment for crimes committed under UK law. In all of this, the role of President Paula-Mae Weekes must be brought into question.”
The release stated, “Since the President must sign off on all Presidential pardons, the Opposition United National Congress is asking the President whether Her Excellency had any knowledge of or agreed to this planned pardon of Vincent Nelson.”
