Cayman ex-premier charged, as Commonwealth meets

From News Mar 21 2013 BY: Helen Burggraf , International Advisor

The former premier of the Cayman Islands, McKeeva Bush, yesterday was charged with 11 counts of breech of trust, misconduct and theft.

The arrest, at a local police station, came as a four-day Commonwealth meeting took place in a hotel elsewhere on Grand Cayman.

The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service said in a statement on Wednesday that Bush — who had been arrested in December “in connection with a number of on-going police investigations”, according to official sources at the time — “has now been charged and is due to appear in court early next month”.

The statement said he had been formally charged with two counts of misconduct in a public office, four counts of breach of trust by a member of the Legislative Assembly, and five counts of theft. Further details of the charges were not given.

Another RCIPS statement, dated Tuesday, said Bush had been released on police bail overnight that day after being questioned, along with an unidentified local man, and had returned to the police offices on Wednesday, where he was charged. The second man, who was described as having bee arrested in connection with an investigation into the importation of explosives, was also “re-bailed”.

Some sources familiar with the situation suggested that the timing of the charging of Bush seemed unusual, given that the island is currently hosting a four-day conference of leaders from Commonwealth countries. A general election, which will determine who will succeed acting premier Julianna O’Connor-Connolly, is set for 22 May.

This morning, the United Democratic Party “vow[ed] to stand behind its leader”, according to a report in the Cayman media.

Bush had originally been arrested at his West Bay home on 11 Dec, and was replaced as premier on 19 Dec, after a vote of no confidence that day by the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly.

Bush took office as premier in May 2009.

The Cayman Islands is one of the world’s main jurisdictions for hedge funds.

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