AN AFFIDAVIT before the Supreme Court, calling for judicial review of an internal disciplinary police matter, has accused Commissioner of Police Darwin Dottin of authorising unlawful recordings of telephone conversations (wiretapping).
The allegation was one of several accusations lodged by suspended Inspector of Police Anderson Bowen, and the affidavit names Dottin as first respondent and the Office of the Attorney General as second respondent. Declined commentWhen contacted by the WEEKEND NATION, Bowen declined to comment.
According to a copy of the court document, Dottin has been cited by Bowen for at least twelve (12) instances of wiretapping.
These include telephone conversations emanating from Black Rock Police Station, his St Philip residence and the home of his deceased mother, Velda Gittens, formerly of Wavell Avenue, Black Rock, St Michael.
Bowen alleged in the affidavit that Dottin played the taped recordings to him while in the latter’s office at Central Police Station. The tapes were allegedly germane to an internal investigation.
The WEEKEND NATION was also able to acquire a copy of Dottin’s signed affidavit in which he responded to charges that were levelled against him, categorically denying most of them. However, Dottin did not deny the charges relating to the wiretapping but linked the alleged action to national security.
In Dottin’s affidavit, responding specifically to the wiretapping allegations, he said: “With respect to the tape-recorded conversations referred to in paragraphs 22 to 32 of the applicant’s affidavit, I have formed the opinion that it is not in the public interest to disclose these as I believe that such disclosure would cause real damage in relation to the security of the island of Barbados.”
Acting Attorney General Michael Lashley told the WEEKEND NATION the Bowen/Dottin civil matter was before the court and he would not comment on the wiretapping allegations at this stage. However, he said when those proceedings were completed and there were issues to be looked at “that would be done”.
Attempts to reach Dottin yesterday were not successful.
