Details are beginning to emerge about an alleged sex scandal involving Cletus St. Paul, one of the most senior members of the Security Detail around Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell.
A senior lawyer in the country has confirmed to THE NEW TODAY newspaper reports circulating in certain quarters that he “advised” the woman who made the allegation to meet with the Prime Minister to inform him about the incident involving St. Paul.
During the 1979-83 Grenada Revolution, St. Paul who is originally from Birchgrove in St. Andrew served as the chief bodyguard to late Marxist Prime Minister Maurice Bishop.
St. Paul provided the key piece of evidence that was used by State Prosecutors in the 1980’s to convict former Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard and other members of the Central Committee of Bishop’s ruling New Jewel Movement (NJM) with ordering the execution of the then Prime Minister and three Cabinet Ministers during a bitter power struggle for control of the revolutionary process.
The chief bodyguard who was taken into custody at Fort George told the high court trial that he witnessed the central committee members holding the meeting there and taking the vote to execute Bishop when he was recaptured on Fort Rupert after supporters had earlier stormed his home at Mt. Wheldale and freed him from house arrest.
This newspaper was able to successfully make contact with the woman who alleged that she was sexually assaulted by St. Paul and she confirmed that she did make a report to both the Prime Minister and the Pastor on the issue.
A senior member of the Police High Command has also been “briefed” about the allegation made against the PM’s security officer.
According to the lawyer, the lady involved was able to meet with Prime Minister Mitchell to officially inform him about the incident and that he put a female employee in his ministry to take charge of an issue involving getting piece of state land which brought her in contact with St. Paul.
According to the lawyer, he has not been formally “retained” to look after the woman’s interest in the matter but was approached and did offer the “advice” that she should seek a meeting with PM Mitchell to inform him about the alleged incident with his top security officer.
He spoke of a middle level police officer who contacted him on the issue informing him that a Pastor of a church in the St. George’s area had approached him for assistance on the matter since the victim was one of the many persons that was under his care for counselling.
When contacted, the Pastor confirmed to this newspaper that he had been offering assistance to the woman who complained to him about the sexual assault by the senior member of the Prime Minister’s Security Detail.
THE NEW TODAY understands that the alleged sexual assault occurred at the woman’s home, by St. Paul who was assigned by government to assist her in obtaining a piece of state land for her house.
Sources familiar with the case said that the security officer had arranged with the woman to pick her up at around 1.30 p.m on the day of the incident to take her to the Beausejour area in the Prime Minister’s St. George North-west constituency to look at the parcel of land.
“St Paul came at around 12.30 but the woman was in the bathroom taking a bath to get ready to go with him. When she came out of the bathroom she wrapped her towel around her and had a child on her shoulder when she opened the door to attend to St. Paul.
“When he (St. Paul) saw her, he just moved in on her. He was all over her and used his finger to push it into her vagina. The woman was shocked since she did not expect him to do anything like that’’.
The source said that prior to this encounter the Prime Minister’s key security officer had been making sexual advances to the woman as part of what appeared to be a quid pro quo for getting the land but had never gone so far.
There are unconfirmed reports that PM Mitchell has sent home the security officer from the job after the meeting with the woman and hearing first-hand the alleged ordeal with St. Paul and did give instructions to a lady in his office to take over the issue of finding suitable government land for the lady to erect her home.
The lawyer confirmed that once “retained” he would be pushing for a criminal case since the matter should be treated as an indictable offence to be tried by a judge and jury at the high court level.
THE NEW TODAY understands that the affected woman will be meeting within the next few days with the lawyer to make an official statement on the issue in order to get the police involved in the matter.
When contacted Monday morning, St. Paul denied the allegation made against him.
He said: “…You know me …. I will never sexually assault anybody”.
The top security official also expressed an interest in meeting with THE NEW TODAY in the course of the day to shed further light on his dealings with the young lady and the allegation made against him.
About seven hours later, St. Paul seemed to have had a change of mind and was no longer interested in meeting but made the following comment on the issue: “I know nothing about any sexual assault on any woman.
That is a serious allegation she has made there. I have to contact my attorney”.
St. Paul was also asked to comment on reports that he was ordered by Prime Minister Mitchell to take leave of duty after the Grenadian leader met with the woman to hear her complaint of being sexually assaulted by him.
“I have a lot of leave inside so I am on vacation officially”, he remarked.
THE NEW TODAY also contacted the Press Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister for a comment on Monday on the allegation being leveled against the key member of Dr. Mitchell’s security detail.
Philomena Robertson called this newspaper back at around 6.50 p.m Tuesday evening with the information that PM Mitchell asked that he be contacted directly on the St. Paul issue and she provided a contact number for the Grenadian leader.
Several futile attempts were made to speak with Dr. Mitchell which resulted in THE NEW TODAY sending the following questions to both the Press Secretary and the Prime Minister at 10.36 a.m Wednesday morning:
“Mr. Prime Minister…. it has been brought to my attention that one Cletus St Paul…. the National Security adviser allegedly sexually assaulted a female person and that she met with you to inform you of the alleged incident.
My first question to you is the following:
(1). Did you suggest or advice the young lady to make a report to the police on the matter?
(2) If not did you yourself ask the police to investigate this serious allegation of a criminal nature and,
(3). If so, what is the current status of the investigation?
(4). If you did not so order the police to investigate then my question is WHY NOT?
(5). PM, is this the first such complaint that you have received about Mr. St. Paul’s alleged misconduct with Women, including staff at the Ministry.
(6). If this is not the first such complaint, what action did you take then?
THE NEW TODAY also sent the following question to Acting Commissioner Edvin Martin on the allegation of sexual assault against the top Security member around Prime Minister Mitchell:
“Mr. Commissioner, it has been brought to (our) attention that one Cletus
St Paul who is attached to the Prime Minister of the country allegedly sexually assaulted a female person and that the young lady did inform the authorities. Have you been invited to investigate this matter?”
No response has been received from Commissioner Martin at the time of going to press.
A retired senior public officer who was once attached to the Office of the Prime Minister indicated to THE NEW TODAY that three female members in his department had complained of alleged sexual advances from St. Paul and he brought the matter to the attention of the then Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister.
When contacted the retired PS was reluctant to comment on the issue.