Ashni Singh’s accident is police matter- Rohee

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 20:59 by GxMedia

General Secretary of the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP), Clement Rohee on Tuesday shrugged off questions about Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh’s involvement in an accident on Mash Day.

Asked his views about Singh allegedly leaving the scene without rendering assistance to the taxi driver and his passenger, Rohee would only say that it was “strictly speaking” in the hands of investigators.

“That’s a police a matter. That’s not a political matter,” he said. He expressed scepticism about whether news media accounts of the incident were factual. Rohee said he was busy during the Mashramani Holiday weekend and did not have the time to contact the Finance Minister.

Rohee, as Home Affairs Minister, has previously commented on operational aspects of the police force and called on that law enforcement agency to take action. Asked if he was using his comment that the accident was a police matter as a cover for refusing to deal with the issue frontally, Rohee said: “Excuse me. I take umbrage to that insinuation. Rohee don’t hide, never did.”

Brian Young, a friend of the Finance Minister and close associate of the governing party, had about one hour after the accident at Garnett Street and Delph Avenue arrived on the scene and assured the driver and his passenger that all medical and vehicular expenses would have been taken care of.

Young and the affected persons up to late Monday afternoon held talks. Preliminarily, an agreement has been reached to purchase another car to the value of the one that was severely damaged in the accident. The driver was also expected to receive monetary compensation.

The Finance Minister was not present in those talks. Singh was expected to be at Cabinet on Tuesday.