Pubdate: Thu, 22 Nov 2007
Source: Trinidad Express (Trinidad)
Copyright: 2007 Trinidad Express
Contact:  http://www.trinidadexpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1093
Author: Richard Charan

DIRTY COPS DOWN SOUTH

Senior Officer Refuses Promotion

An investigation has been launched into claims made by  a Police
Superintendent that police officers are  involved in the drug and guns
trade in the Southern  Division.

The allegation that rampant corruption exists in the  division was
made by Supt Chandrabhan Maharaj, in a  letter written to Police
Commissioner Trevor Paul.

In the letter, Maharaj, who is in charge of the Princes  Town Police
Station, refused to accept a promotion to  the position of Acting
Senior Superintendent in charge  of the entire Southern Division
because of the alleged  crooked activities of police officers.

The promotion would have meant a salary increase for  Maharaj, and
given him charge of 11 police stations in  the largest police division
in the country.

Maharaj had headed the Firearm Interdiction Unit (FIU),  which was
responsible for the seizure of several caches  of guns, grenades, and
cocaine, and arrested several  businessmen, police officers and a
teacher for drug  trafficking. The FIU was disbanded in mid-2005, and
merged with the Organised Crime and Narcotics Unit  (OCNU).

The Police Service, in a statement yesterday, said: "In  response to
allegations contained in Supt Maharaj's  letter of 'rampant
corruption' in the Southern  Division, Acting Commissioner of Police,
Glen Roach,  has mandated an executive officer to investigate and
take all necessary actions."

Roach was quoted as saying, "The allegations contained  in the letter
allegedly written by Mr Maharaj are  indeed very serious. The onus is
on the Police Service  to investigate these allegations with a view to
  bringing those responsible to justice."

Maharaj was not at his office yesterday. He was said to  have
undergone dental surgery.

According to the correspondence obtained by the  Express, Maharaj
received a letter from Paul on October  31, stating, "this is to
inform that you will be  required to accept the handover of Senior
Superintendent Southern Division from Senior  Superintendent (Samuel)
Jemmott, with effect 2nd  November 2007, as a result of his transfer
to the  Executive".

Jemmott was promoted to the rank of Assistant  Commissioner of
Police.

A second letter was sent to Maharaj a week letter,  informing him of
the Acting Snr Supt appointment from  November 2 to November 30.

Chandrabhan returned both appointment letters, the  Express was
told.

In one letter, Maharaj documented the reasons why he  did not want the
job. In the other, he stated, "I know  that the decent public and few
decent police officers  would want me there. My apology goes out to
them."
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MAP posted-by: Derek