Overseas agency assists in corruption claim probe
A probe resulting from David Bolden’s corruption claims against former Premier Ewart Brown continues, according to the Police Commissioner, with an overseas law enforcement agency making inquiries in the United States.Businessman Bolden claimed under oath during his theft trial last June that a Government Minister told him the Premier wanted ten percent of his wireless technology company, and Dr Brown’s wife Wanda Henton Brown to be on the firm’s board.He did not name the Government Minister in question.Bolden also alleged the former Premier had earlier asked for a 60 percent share of the commission he earned from work on Bermuda’s public pension funds.The claims prompted Dr Brown to launch a failed attempt to get an injunction against them being published by this newspaper. He also threatened to launch a private prosecution against Bolden for alleged perjury over what he described as the “wholly unfounded” allegations.Police Commissioner Michael DeSilva later announced that police were looking into the issue, prompting Dr Brown to pledge in a public statement to assist the investigation in any way he could.Giving an update over the weekend, Mr DeSilva told The Royal Gazette: “The Bermuda Police Service initiated enquiries into allegations of corruption on the part of Dr Brown and others that were made by David Bolden during the course of his own trial in June of last year.“During our enquiries it became necessary to seek the assistance of an overseas law enforcement agency to look into activities that may have occurred in the United States.“Work is still being done to examine claims made by the complainant and other witnesses. The matter remains under investigation, but it is important to note that no charges have been laid to date as up to now there is insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution.”He said he could not divulge which overseas agency is involved in the inquiry, who the other witnesses are and whether Dr Brown has been interviewed by police over the allegations.“The witnesses include persons who were not connected to the Bolden trial, but once again, it’s not for me to divulge who they are at this time,” said Mr DeSilva.David Bolden and his wife Antoinette were cleared at the end of the trial over theft and money-laundering allegations relating to their company Emerald Capital International, but convicted of lying to the Bermuda Monetary Authority about the finances of their Emerald Group of companies.They were each sentenced to 200 hours of community service.Neither Dr Brown nor his lawyer Mark Pettingill could be reached for comment yesterday. The former Premier is understood to be overseas.