EDITORIAL - Probe Lewin's claim

If the allegation was from a lesser individual, it might have been overlooked as a rash piece of mischief, which the national security minister, Mr Dwight Nelson, deems it to be.

But Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin served for five years as head of the Jamaica Defence Force and for two years as commissioner of police, until his resignation last October, in circumstances that were less than friendly. So, when Admiral Lewin insinuates that someone or persons close to either Mr Nelson or Prime Minister Bruce Golding, or that either man, or both, "tipped off" reputed crime boss Christopher Coke that the United States was about to issue a request for his extradition, the matter deserves a full and deep inquiry.

If Admiral Lewin has lied, he need to be brought to book for criminal incitement. But should he be truthful, there was not only an issue of attempting to pervert the course of justice, but national security was compromised and high government office may have been brought into disrepute. Questions of misbehaviour in public office, if not treason, may arise.

According to Admiral Lewin, last August, on the day before the extradition request was formally forwarded by the United States, he, in has capacity of police chief, was informed that it would happen. Admiral Lewin said he immediately briefed the national security minister and, on the minister's advice, Prime Minister Golding.

He claims that within the 15 minutes between his leaving the minister's office and arriving at Mr Golding's official residence, Coke was by "some coincidence ... tipped off". The upshot, claimed the former police chief, was that Coke beat a "hasty retreat" to his Tivoli Gardens redoubt.

This newspaper makes no judgement on Admiral Lewin's allegation. But given the Government's attitude, until recently, to the Coke extradition request, we expect Admiral Lewin's allegation to gain traction, notwithstanding Mr Nelson's assertion that it was the action of a "bitter and vengeful man". The implication is that Admiral Lewin was attempting to get back at the Government for the PM's statement last year that the administration had lost confidence in his leadership of the constabulary.

Spurious arguments

Yet, for more than nine months until about six week ago when Mr Golding was forced by public pressure to reverse himself, the Jamaican Government, advancing what many deemed to be spurious arguments, resisted the US government's attempts to gain hold of Mr Coke. Mr Golding insisted that his action, including the hiring of a US law firm to convince the Americans to moderate their action on the issue, was to protect the constitutional right of a Jamaican citizen - one who happened to be close to the ruling party and the 'don' of West Kingston, the PM's political constituency and the control and command centre of the JLP's street operations. When the Government finally went after Mr Coke, his supporters barricaded Tivoli Gardens, while irregulars attacked the security forces and burned police stations.

This matter cannot be allowed to just dribble away. It demands a full and transparent investigation by independent sources, delving into the allegations by Admiral Lewin and who really hired the lobbyists, which Mr Golding said he sanctioned, but in his role as party leader, not prime minister.

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