Kernohan accuses Governor

| 17/11/2008

(CNS): The legal representatives of suspended Police Commissioner Stuart Kernohan have released a copy of a letter they sent to the Governor Stuart Jack last month accusing him of lying, a breach of the Commissioner’s contract of employment, an unlawful and irrational exercise of his executive power as Governor and depriving Kernohan of his job for no good reason.

The content of the letter by Campbells, Kernohan’s attorney, focuses on the decisions of the Chief Justice, Anthony Smellie, In the matter of Operation Tempura handed down on 22 February 2008 and 4 April 2008, copies of which the lawyers say they received for the first time on 1 October 2008.

The letter makes it clear that the Governor must have been aware of Smellie’s judgment and therefore had deceived the public and Kernohan when it was stated at a press briefing in March 2008 that the Commissioner was placed on required leave but not under investigation, as clearly attempts to get a warrant to search the Commissioner’s house had been refused.

“You will recall that on 27 March 2008 you placed Mr. Kernohan on required leave and promised to review that required leave on an ongoing basis. On the same date, and in light of the Chief Justice’s decision, Mr. Bridger gave a press briefing at which you were present confirming, clearly falsely, that Mr. Kernohan was not under investigation,” the letter states.

As there appeared to the Chief Justice to be no evidence of a crime committed by Kernohan back in April, and no more indication of any brought forward since, the lawyers state that the continued decision to keep Kernohan on required leave is “not only a serious breach” by the Governor of the Commissioner’s contract of employment, but may also be an unlawful and irrational exercise of the executive power as Governor.

The letter adds that there can be no possible benign motive for Kernohan’s continued absence from duty, “… not least because you cannot be unaware of the damage which has been caused to his reputation by your actions and by your statements, and those of Mr. Bridger to the news media in these Islands.”

Campbells accuse the Governor of acting in bad faith and maliciously prolonging what they describe as an unnecessarily pointless and expensive police operation, not just to the disrepute of Kernohan but the jurisdiction and the people of Cayman. Campbells go on to request that the Governor respond within 7 days in writing stating that any investigation against Kernohan is at an end and to reinstate him with a full public apology and damages.

According to the Attorneys, the letter was sent on 9 October and as yet no response has been received from the Governor. Moreover, there have been no statements or comments regarding Operation Tempura from either the Governor or SIO Martin Bridger, the leader of the Special Police Investigation Team (SPIT) since Sir Peter Cresswell ruled the warrants to search Justice Alex Henderson’s office and home unlawful, nor since the elected government asked Bridger to go home, nor since Acting Commissioner David George and the Attorney General Sam Bulgin cleared Henderson of any investigation and arrest against him. (The complete letter is posted on TheLeggeReport)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    I smelt the RAT long time ago . I think the money should come out of Mr Jack pocket not from Cayman Government .I heard on the news Mr Jack giving one hundred and fifty thousand to Cayman Brac relief .Do you really think that will make the Cayman Islands people forget the MILLIONS that have been wasted on the whole Kernaham mess .Thanks for the help but sorry if you thought the bandaid would have made the deep cut feel better .NO NO NO.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Ref; the earier posting on claims against the CI.

    It’s interesting that John Evans, who returned to the UK at the end of July, has decided to pursue his claim for compensation against the London Metropolitan Police rather than the Cayman Islands Government. 

    According to correspondence copied to the local media he blames the Met, or specifically Assistant Commissioner Yates, directly for failing to properly supervise the investigation.

     

     

  3. Anonymous says:

    INCOMPETENCE GALORE!!!!

    Incompetent police service…Incompetent judiciary…Incompetent politicians

    All at the expense of the people of the Cayman Islands. When will it STOP??????

     

  4. Anonymous says:

    Kernohan has been sacked.

    Marl Road  is open again and TEMPURA is on the menu.

  5. Anonymous says:

    Whether Mr. Kernohan wants to come back here to work as the Police Chief, or whether he wants only to sue, i’m on his side either way.

    He deserves to sue and win money for this embarassment and humiliation and scandal against his name!   I hope he wins alot of money in a lawsuit just as i hope Judge Henderson wins alot of money too.  They most certainly deserve it and if it were me in their positions i would sue also!

    I say Cayman take your complaints to your Government if you have any complaints about how they mishandle your tax paying $, after all, they are the ones in charge of you who always beg you or maybe even bribe you to vote them in.  Think carefully about who you vote for next election!  All those who have wasted tax payers $, do not vote for any of them!  Don’t let no one bribe you who you vote for, or else you will reap a corrupt government if you vote in anyone who corruptly bribes you to vote for them!  Stand up for righteousness at all costs!  Or else reap corruption!  A mango tree cannot bear naiseberries, nor a sweet sop tree bear june plums!  Don’t be fooled!  Choose righteously in the next elections.  Accept none who have had a part in any corruption now or in the past!  Simple!  Evil begets evil.  Righteousness begets righteousness.

    From a fed up Caymanian who is so sad to see the way this small little country has become

     

  6. Anonymous says:

    SO what exactly has Stuart Kernohan done wrong? any one?

  7. Twyla M Vargas says:

    I SMELL A RAT

    Concerning this he said she said situation betweem His Excellency Tthe Governor and  Commissioner Kernoham.

    My comment on this is I SMELL A RAT.

    • Anonymous says:

      I trust that no one in the Cayman Islands would seriously believe that if Stuart kernohan was given a "Public Apology" and told that this investigation have now come to a halt in regards to him, he would "willingly" board British Airways back to the Cayman Islands in uniform and assume his post as Commissioner of Police.

      GIVE ME A BREAK, PLEASE !!!!!!!

      The true desire at this point in time is to try and establish "full liability" and bleed the Cayman IslandsTax Payers purse. Interestingly, persons of your own UK CLAN (STUART JACK INCLUDED) are responsible for this whole fiasco. Try bleeding them at the FCO and the BRITISH HOME OFFICE, not us !!!!!