The Tribune

1.15pm UPDATE: Kenred Dorsett has been arraigned on a single count of misconduct in public office and four counts each of extortion and bribery totalling $120,000. He was remanded in custody until August 31, but he has the right to apply for bail in the Supreme Court.

• SEE THE FULL STORY IN FRIDAY'S TRIBUNE

1.00pm UPDATE: Former Environment and Housing Minister Kenred Dorsett arrived at court early this afternoon. Interim PLP Leader Phillip “Brave” Davis has pledged support for Mr Dorsett (story HERE).

By SANCHESKA DORSETT

Tribune Staff Reporter

sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Environment and Housing Minister Kenred Dorsett was taken into police custody yesterday and is assisting the Royal Bahamas Police Force with a bribery investigation connected to the New Providence Landfill, The Tribune understands.

Attorney Wayne Munroe, QC, who said he is representing Mr Dorsett, claimed last night the police investigation is centred around allegations that $80,000 to $100,000 was allegedly exchanged in connection with work done by a heavy equipment operator to move debris from the landfill following a massive fire at the site in March.

The attorney told The Tribune that Mr Dorsett voluntarily went to police for questioning. It was unclear up to press time last night if the former Southern Shores MP would remain in police custody overnight.

Mr Munroe questioned the basis of the police investigation, which he called a “witch hunt” saying the allegations involved could be made against anyone, and claimed investigators could show no proof of their claims.

“He [Mr Dorsett] was contacted to come in and so we went to see the police at the Central Detective Unit and they questioned him with matters surrounding the dump fire,” Mr Munroe told The Tribune, saying he was authorised by his client to release this information. “Remember when there was a dump fire, the government called for anyone to come with heavy equipment and so a gentleman made an allegation stemming from then and that issue.

“When we sat down with the police, all they said was the allegations stemmed during an unspecified time, between March and April, involving between $80,000 to $100,000. This guy [who is giving information to police] is making these accusations but they could show no evidence of money being exchanged, no wire transfers, we were not shown any documents or any cheques,” Mr Munroe claimed.

“I do not think these men know what they are doing. This new administration seems to be on a witch hunt. They won, they beat the PLP bad and now they need to get to the business of governing the country.

“What these things open up, and the FNM doesn’t understand this, is if anyone can make an allegation against any minister at any time with no proof – that is a dangerous precedent. So anyone can say ‘between this amount of time, I gave someone between $80,00 to $100,000,’ that sets a dangerous precedent. What now stops someone who had a meeting with the present prime minister from doing the same thing? In the other cases, there was at least a trail that could be followed. This is a classic case of a witch hunt. The problem with a witch hunt is, the same people who started off as the accusers, end up as the accused.”

He also said: “The same things they are looking at about him, by next week someone could make a similar allegation against the present prime minister or any one of his ministers, with the same measure of proof and they could be where Mr Dorsett is now, in custody,” Mr Munroe told The Tribune. “So if someone is to stand up and say something—without more (proof)—I expect the police will be arresting every serving Cabinet minister if a member of the public were to do that and that is how silly these fellows are.”

Earlier yesterday The Tribune contacted several high high-ranking police officers for comment, including Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Stephen Dean, and Officer-in-Charge of the Central Detective Unit (CDU) Chief Superintendent Solomon Cash, who both said they “knew nothing about the incident” in question.

Mr Dorsett, an attorney, represented Southern Shores from 2012 to May of this year.

He is a former vice-chairman of the PLP and served on the board of the Education Loan Authority in the first Christie administration.

He lost his seat in Parliament to the Free National Movement’s Frankie Campbell on May 10.

In August 2015, Mr Dorsett denied rumours circulating on social media at the time concerning the government’s fleet of garbage trucks which alleged he owned a number of trash collection vehicles.

“I have addressed this issue before in the House of Assembly and in the media,” he said in 2015.

“I again state emphatically for those who did not hear or read my previous statements and for those who are only interested in creating political mischief, that I do not own nor have I ever owned a garbage collection truck or company. Over the years since assuming office I have released numerous statements through the press on the issue of garbage collection,” Mr Dorsett had said previously.

The news of this arrest comes after Dion Smith, the former deputy speaker of the House of Assembly, was taken into custody in May in connection with an investigation into alleged “theft by reason of employment” at the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC).

Mr Smith, who was chairman of BAIC at the time, was released from police custody a day later without being charged.

The former PLP Nassau Village MP was the ninth person arrested, questioned and released in connection with the matter; however, no formal charges were brought against anyone in connection with that investigation.

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has pledged to weed out corruption in all government ministries. Before the general election, Dr Minnis labelled former Prime Minister Perry Christie and his administration the “most corrupt, the most incompetent and the most victimising government since independence.”