MOHAMMED Harajchi can produce proof that he contributed heavily to the Progressive Liberal Party prior to the last general election, his personal assistant Chris Lunn and lawyer Derek Ryan claimed yesterday.
Mr Ryan, long-time attorney to the Iranian businessman and Mr Lunn, editor of the Harajchi-owned newspaper, The Confidential Source, and former chief executive officer of Mr Harajchi’s offshore Suisse Security Bank, both stated that they had seen documents connected to large sums of money paid in the form of party contributions.
“There was definitely a relationship,” said Mr Lunn of Mr Harajchi’s and the PLP’s situation prior to and following the election.
Mr Lunn, authorised by Mr Harajchi to speak on his behalf, claimed that his employer had paid for “every major PLP rally” during the election.
“There were about half a dozen and each one of them cost around $200,000. They even brought in lasers from the US to complement the fireworks at the rallies,” he told host Jeff Lloyd on yesterday’s radio talk show Issues of the Day on Love 97.
Mr Lunn said that Mr Harajchi had also provided resources in the form of “computers, phone systems, right down to the paper.”
Mr Ryan said he was “personally involved in delivering cheques” to various companies as well as individuals who are now Cabinet members.
He said the cheques often were not made out to PLP officials, but to “the persons providing the services.”
Mr Harajchi’s lawyer said that “alone the contributions which came through my office” exceeded the sum of $500,000, “and he (Mr Harajchi) did not run all his contributions by us, millions of dollars passed hands.”
“This can always be substantiated by return receipts,” he declared.
Mr Ryan said that should his client’s status of permanent residence be revoked, the situation would only escalate.
“He’s a fighter and he believes he is fighting for the right thing. If he goes right next door to Miami he will fight from there, if he goes to Europe he will still continue to fight,” said the lawyer.
Answering the question as to whether Prime Minister Christie maintained a relationship with Mr Harajchi before the 2002 general election, Mr Lunn said he had seen Mr Christie meet with the Iranian businessman on several occasions at the latter’s Paradise Island residence.
He said that Mr Christie had requested to meet with Mr Harajchi and that Mr Christie had been introduced to the businessman through a mutual friend, Jerry Forester.
“There were meetings and discussions. I don’t know exactly the purpose of those meetings,” said Mr Lunn.
“There was a mutual relationship where Mr Christie was welcome in Mr Harajchi’s home and Mr Christie in turn never gave any indication that he was reluctant to come to his home,” he recalled.
Mr Ryan said that following initial meetings he “personally delivered the bank file,” containing the case information concerning the revocation of the bank’s licence, to Mr Christie.
Mr Lunn claimed that the then leader of the opposition reviewed the files, in his capacity as a lawyer, and told Mr Harajchi that he saw “wrongdoing” had taken place.
“He indicated that should his party win the election he would see to it that justice would be given,” said Mr Harajchi’s personal assistant.
Mr Lunn said his employer had invested in the PLP, because he had “confidence in Mr Christie and believed justice would be given.”
Mr Lunn announced that Mr Harajchi will soon publicly explain what he meant by “justice.”
Responding to the prime minister’s comment “that no responsible government would interfere with a matter that was before the court,” Mr Lunn said that at the time of the election there had not been a judgment in the matter and that Mr Harajchi had still hoped for an out-of-court settlement.
He explained that when the bank licence for the offshore bank was revoked, Mr Harajchi had filed an injunction in court against the Central Bank.
“The law said that the government should not suspend or revoke the bank licence, an application should have been put to the courts to have the injunction set aside before any action was taken. That did not happen,” said Mr Ryan.
The attorney said that although the Central Bank is independent from the judiciary, Mr Christie could have, after assuming office, launched an investigation into the matter.
Mr Lunn further explained that people “were missing the point,” that Mr Harajchi had not held the press conference on August 11, in which he alleged that he had contributed $10 million to the PLP and that 90 per cent of the Cabinet members had come to him for financial and strategic support, in order to regain his bank licence.
He reiterated that the press conference was held in response to remarks made by Works Minister Bradley Roberts in the House of Assembly, in which Mr Harajchi was insulted and his integrity and credibility called into question.
“Mr Harajchi was called a terrorist by the third highest ranking government official, this is not to be taken lightly in today’s climate,” he said.
Mr Lunn further explained that the matter of the reinstatement of Mr Harajchi’s bank licence was now in the hands of the Privy Council.
By Karin Herig, The Tribune
