Legal spotlight on GaryThe former head of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service’s Professional Standards Bureau, retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Totaram Dookhie is accusing former Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith of abuse of power and exerting undue influence in several high-profile investigations involving current and former government officials, as well as senior police officers.
Dookhie made the claims in a legal suit filed on Friday in the High Court against the Commissioner of Police and the Attorney General.
Guardian Media has obtained a copy of the legal documents in which the former Assistant CoP accuses Griffith, who served as top cop from August 2018 to August 2021, of punishing him unfairly because “he refused to allow himself to be unduly influenced and manipulated by him (Griffith) in the conduct of the criminal probes.
“The Commissioner used his powers for the ulterior motive and improper purpose of manipulating, stalling, frustrating and compromising these police investigations.
“To date, nothing has come of these investigations despite the lapse of many, many years. It is a grave discredit to the independence of the TTPS. It has caused reputational harm and eroded public trust and confidence.
“The misuse and abuse of police power by the Commissioner, his servants and agents have breached my right to protection of the law,” Dookhie added in his affidavit.
According to the former Assistant CoP and PSB head, he was instructed by Griffith to list all the investigations he was working on and to submit the list to him.
Despite serious concerns, he said he followed the orders but was still subjected to victimisation.
“At that time there was a restructuring process taking place in the TTPS and my name was published on the TTPS website to lead the White-Collar Crime Unit. On that date, my name was removed as head of the White-Collar Crime Unit and replaced with ACP William Nurse.
“On Monday 18th November 2019, I was again summoned to CoP Mr Griffith’s office … where I met Mr Griffith and DCP Baldeo. CoP Mr Griffith handed me a signed memorandum dated 18th November 2019 captioned, “Reassignment of investigations”. He was smiling and said, “Take that!” This memo was copied to the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) Roger Gaspard.”
He said the memo contained instructions for him to hand over by 9 am the next day investigative files on several high-profile matters, including allegations of money laundering and fraudulent conversion involving then Planning Minister Camille Robinson-Regis; alleged misbehaviour in public office involving then Government MP Darryl Smith; alleged misbehaviour in public office and money laundering involving ACP Irwin Hackshaw and alleged misbehaviour in public office involving Superintendent Wendell Lucas.
In the Robinson-Regis matter, Dookhie claimed the investigations were “almost 99 per cent complete” and that he had planned to visit the DPP one final time with a view to laying criminal charges.
“CoP Mr Griffith was well aware of this. Since this file was taken away from me, an investigation that should have been completed with a final visit to the DPP has simply gone dead. I have not heard anything further about the matter and no charges have been proferred.”
In the Darryl Smith matter Dookhie also said: “Once the file was reassigned from me, the investigation went dead.”
He also highlighted a case involving former Minister of Public Utilities, the late Marlene McDonald, suggesting that Griffith was concerned that it “could bring down the government” and that he had to “deal with the people above him” who were worried about the investigation.
“I told him that that was not my concern and that my only concern was to conduct an independent and proper police investigation and act in accordance with the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
“He then shouted to me, “You lock up MARLENE and did not inform me before the arrest and the media was calling me after the arrest”. He (Griffith) further told me that, “you are a law unto yourself” and “just as I gave you investigations, I will take it back”.The 63-old Dookhie, who retired from the TTPS in September 2021, is claiming he was victimised for taking a stand and wanting to ensure the investigations were being conducted transparently and effectively.
He said in June 2020, he was suddenly presented with three allegations of breaches of internal service discipline against him.
In July 2020, he said he was arrested in front of his two daughters—which he said traumatised both him and his family.
“Although CoP Mr Griffith desperately tried for around 21 months to prosecute and discredit my good name, no criminal or disciplinary matters were initiated against me, nor are there any negative findings against me.
“Despite having retired in September 2021 I did not receive any retirement benefits such as pension or gratuity until February 2023. I was forced to use my savings and was barely able to meet my expenses. I had to borrow money from friends and relatives to see about my family and my medical bills. I therefore could not afford to retain an attorney to file this claim on my behalf. Apart from my financial situation, I had to take time to see about my psychological and emotional well-being. The level of frustration and depression was and is indescribable,” said Dookhie, who is represented by Fortis Chambers.
Dookhie is seeking legal costs and damages, including special, exemplary and vindicatory damages for the alleged breaches of his constitutional rights.
Griffith and Robinson-Regis question timing of lawsuitIn an immediate response last night both Griffith and Robinson Regis questioned the timing of the lawsuit filed by the retired Assistant CoP.
“Notice this man left office three years ago and he never saw fit until now—a month before the General Election. Notice the timing and who his attorneys are and let the country judge for itself,” said Griffith, who is leading his National Transformation Alliance into the April 28 poll.
He also described the claims against him as “total ignorance”, adding that “this man was totally, totally unfit for office.
“In several instances, we realised this man refused to adhere to the chain of command. Every single thing, every single accusation there, we challenge him to prove it. He can’t because it’s not true. He has been the downfall of his own self. He felt he was a law on to himself.. … This man was doing an investigation and was in the process of arresting a minister and said he did not need to inform the Commissioner.”
Also commenting on the legal action, Robinson-Regis, who is the newly-appointed Attorney General in the one week old Stuart Young administration, said in a written response to Guardian Media: “This is such a travesty, as it comes after the Leader of the Opposition has made spurious statements about me in this regard on a political platform!!!
“You would see that he retired since 2021 and waited four years (three and a half years) to sue?” she added.
https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/legal-s ... b385705f6f
