PNP lawyers declare Trafigura case 'dead'

Dutch officials are pressing to question Simpson Miller, People’s National Party (PNP) Chairman Robert Pickersgill, former Cabinet ministers Phillip Paulwell and Colin Campbell, as well as businessman Norton Hinds in relation to a $31 million donation given to the PNP in 2006 by the Dutch firm Trafigura Baheer.

PNP lawyers in Jamaica yesterday declared that the Trafigura issue should be buried as Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller and the other four members of the party cannot be forced to show for questioning in open court.

Contesting the 2011 Supreme Court judge ruling for the party members to be interrogated in open court, Queen’s Counsel KD Knight and Patrick Atkinson both argued that questions and answers are done in privacy in Jamaica and outside of the public glare to preserve fairness at proceedings and trials. Both attorneys pointed out that under Jamaican law, as well as the Mutual Assistance Criminal Matters Act, the appellants cannot be compelled to give witness statements to authorities in The Netherlands.

observer.com