Latest update December 21st, 2024 1:52 AM
T&T Minister charged with failing to take a breathalyser test
…nine days after DPP’s instructions
Trinidad Express – Nine days after Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard instructed police to charge former government minister Collin Partap with failing to take a breathalyser test, police have acted.
Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams at a media briefing at Police Headquarters, Port of Spain yesterday morning, said there was no delay on his part to act.
Collin Partap
He said a summons was served on Partap yesterday and the former Minister in the Ministry of National Security is expected to appear before a magistrate next month.
Partap, the Member of Parliament for Cumuto/Manzanilla, was fired by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on August 25, hours after he was involved in a confrontation with police officers outside the Zen nightclub, in Port of Spain.
According to police reports in the case, Partap was stopped by cops for activating the emergency siren and blue swivel lights at the corner of Keate and Frederick Streets, Port of Spain, where he was asked to take a Breathalyser test.
Partap initially refused, according to the police, and was detained and taken to the Belmont Police Station where he contacted his lawyer.
It was only after the arrival at the station of acting Commissioner Williams about one hour later that Partap submitted to the test and was found to be within the legal limit.
The case has been followed closely by the media and it took police close to two months before investigators submitted a file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions on October 21.
However, that file was deficient as a critical piece of evidence was missing and a requested was made for the police to obtain the information before the DPP made his decision.
The missing information was later submitted and the DPP gave instruction for police to lay a single charge of failing to submit to a breath test be laid against Partap.
His advice, which was given on December 3, remained untouched at the Commissioner’s office for four days, as Williams was out of the country.
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