Gov’t to waive diplomatic immunity re John Ashe bribery scandal

Regional Senior Counsel Anthony Astaphan has described as significant, the decision of the Antigua & Barbuda government to waive all diplomatic immunity for individuals whom the US authorities may wish to question in relation to the John Ashe bribery scandal.
A release Tuesday from the Office of the Prime Minister stated that Washington had made the request for assistance in regards to ongoing criminal proceedings.
OBSERVER media has been unable to ascertain if the United States government has furnished St John’s with any names. But according to a criminal complaint form/charge sheet, signed by representatives of both the United States Magistrate Court and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Ashe allegedly shared a portion of money received with senior Antiguan government officials, including the country’s then prime minister.
The report failed to provide a name, but based on the time periods listed (2011 – 2014), the “Prime Minister” at the time would have been Baldwin Spencer.
Astaphan told OBSERVER media that it can be inferred from the pronouncement of the Gaston Browne-administration that “there are people who hold diplomatic passports who may be the subject of the investigation of the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigations”.
 
(More in today’s Daily Observer)