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."