Opp motion on alleged assault disallowed; MP Sarabo-Halley not surprised over recent developments

An opposition motion calling for Minister Kwame McCoy to appear before the Committee of Privileges over the alleged assault of Member of Parliament Tabitha Sarabo-Halley has been disallowed by Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir.

In a letter from Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Issacs to Opposition Chief Whip Christopher Jones, the Clerk said that the motion has been disallowed as the Speaker was informed by the police that “no evidence was found to support Mrs. Tabitha Sarabo-Halley’s allegation of assault.”

Additionally the letter reads that a “a prima facie case has not been made out against Hon. Kwame McKoy, M.P., therefore, the matter cannot be referred to the Committee of Privileges.”

Today, Member of Parliament Sarabo-Halley said she is not surprised about this recent development, ” I expected nothing better to come out of the situation,” she said, “the moment I heard the Prime Minister almost insinuate that he saw something that suggested that I was lying, gave me the clear sense that they were going to do whatever they needed to do to cover the up situation and to ensure that Kwame is not held accountable for what he did.”

The police have not spoken to the member of parliament since their initial meeting when they took statements from her and witnesses.

Following the incident the MP had pointed out that the alleged assault was witnessed by two persons, today, she maintained that she will not identify those persons as she said the onus is on them to speak about what they saw. “If they want to come forward, they will, but, I know they saw because I turned around and I know they saw what happened, because I shouted out to them and they say they saw everything and the police spoke with them.”

McCoy was accused of assaulting the member of parliament in early March during the review of the estimates of 2021 national budget. The Minister was at the time confronting Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield as the CEO left the National Assembly when MP Sarabo-Halley intervened. The MP said that the minister “chucked” her to the head.

Minister McCoy denied that he assaulted the MP.