KINGSTON – The report by the Commission of Enquiry into government’s handling of the United States extradition request for reputed gang leader Christopher “Dudus” Coke has been completed and is to be presented to Governor General Sir Patrick Allen on Monday, local media has reported.
The government itself has made no announcement but RJR News reported Sunday that highly-placed sources indicated that the Commissioners Emil George, Anthony Irons and Donald Scharsmidt were critical of the actions of some public officers in the handling of the extradition request.
However, it is unclear whether any disciplinary action has been recommended against those persons.
After Sir Patrick receives the report, he will forward it to Prime Minister Bruce Golding who will then take it to Cabinet.
In addition to examining issues related to the request for Coke’s extradition, the Commission also looked at the engagement of American law firm Manatt Phelps and Phillips to lobby the US government.
The matter was first brought to public attention by the opposition People’s National Party’s Dr Peter Phillips. The former national security minister alleged last March that there was a contractual arrangement between the Government and the law firm on the extradition matter.
Prime Minister Golding denied government’s dealings with the law firm, but a few weeks later said that it was his Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) that appointed Manatt Phelps and Phillips to intervene as the US pushed its request for Coke, a member of the JLP stronghold of West Kingston, to face drug and gun charges.
The Commission of Enquiry was set up by the administration after criticism of Golding and his government’s handling of the matter and several calls for an investigation. (CMC)
