LAWYERS representing Prime Minister Bruce Golding have written to United States-based news network ABC seeking redress for a recent newscast referring to Golding as a ‘criminal affiliate’ of Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke.
“It is being pursued as we speak,” Information Minister Daryl Vaz told journalists at today’s post cabinet press briefing held at Jamaica House.
Vaz added that a statement was issued by the prime minister this week and legal action was being pursued by him “on a personal basis”.
During the security forces incursion into Tivoli Gardens to apprehend Coke in mid-May, ABC published a damning story accusing Golding of being in association with the reputed drug lord who is wanted in the US on arms and drug running charges.
ABCs reports also alleged that the ruling Jamaica Labour Paarty (JLP) was voted into power through “Coke’s murderous and strong-arm tactics”.
According to ABC the information was quoted from “official US accounts”.
However US State Department officials later denied knowledge of such a document saying instead they were working with the Jamaican prime minister in crime prevention in the island.
Golding subsequently dismissed the ABC report as “extremely offensive”, and charged that efforts to link him personally with the alleged drug kingpin, were “clearly part of a conspiracy to undermine the duly elected government of Jamaica”.
For almost nine months Golding refused a US extradition request for Coke but relented under intense pressure in May.
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