Victor La Corbiniere.
An investigation into the alleged extra-judicial killings of 12 persons by police officers between 2010-2012 in an “Operation Restore Confidence” regime is fairly complete.
Minister for National Security Victor Phillip La Corbiniere, in an interview with Saint Lucia News Online (SNO), said that while he is unable to put an exact date on when the investigations will be completed, the report is in a fairly advanced stage.
It will be concluded and presented to government sooner, rather than later, he said, adding that he expects an announcement will be made to the public in that regard.
“For obvious reasons, we have not wanted to go into everything but as I have said is that investigation is fairly advanced and once that report is written up it will be handed in to us and at some point… [and] we will indicate to you that the government has got the report,” he said.
“Obviously, there will have to be a Cabinet briefing, and the prime minister will have to be fully-briefed as well on the issue,” he said, while adding that other individuals such as our attorney general will also need to be acquainted with that document before its contents are disclosed to the public.
The allegations had resulted in the United States banning local police from benefiting from any initiatives that it funds or organises. That ban is still in effect.
La Corbiniere also promised that when the report is ready, government will indicate steps that it intends to take to deal with the matter.
In a statement following the announcement of the US ban in August last year, Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony confirmed that government had invited the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), to identify three senior investigators from the region to investigate the killings.
“The investigators will be asked to evaluate all available evidence and determine whether or not these matters warrant further action. The findings, if adverse, will be forwarded to the director of Public Prosecutions who has ultimate jurisdiction in criminal matters,” Anthony had said.
In addition to this, Dr. Anthony informed the public that government would enact “new legislation to conduct investigations of the type just proposed so as to ensure that such investigations enjoy the full protection of the law and that the findings of any investigation are lawfully transmitted to the director of Public Prosecutions.”
He said that that measure was needed to “ensure that a mechanism exists to deal with such situations in the future, should such unexplained or suspicious deaths occur.”
The ban against St. Lucian police officers also includes Commissioner of Police Vernon Fancois, who was last year prevented from travelling to the United States to represent regional police commanders at a Conference of Black Police Officers in the United States.
The prime minister confirmed however, that “contrary to speculation by some, I wish to make it clear that the US visa of the commissioner has not been revoked. This has been confirmed by the United States Ambassador to the Eastern Caribbean Larry Palmer in a telephone conversation with me.”