THE Opposition People's National Party (PNP) has sided with former Commissioner of Police Hardley Lewin in his verbal sparring with Minister of National Security over allegations against the Government's handling of the extradition of Christopher 'Dudus' Coke.

In a statement today, PNP spokesman on national security Peter Bunting said he was concerned by Lewin's allegation made on television yesterday night, that Coke was tipped off about the United States extradition request for him, shortly after Nelson was briefed on the matter.

“Rear Admiral Lewin’s revelations have grave implications since the information was available only to the minister of national security, the then commissioner of police, and the prime minister," said Bunting.

In a statement this morning, Nelson strongly denied the allegations and questioned the credibility of the former commissioner whom he characterised as a 'failure'.

Bunting said he was disappointed by Nelson's response, which he said amounted to a personal attack on Lewin.

In support of Lewin, Bunting said his disclosure was "consistent with the deception and seeming complicity surrounding the prime minister’s, and several of his ministers’, statements and actions to delay and frustrate the extradition request over a nine month period."

Having already called a no confidence motion against Prime Minister Golding in the Lower House of Parliament a further motion will be debated in the Senate of Friday to censure Attorney General Dorothy Lightbourne.

The Opposition has continued to press the Jamaica Labour Party administration into its hiring of US law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips to lobby the US Government against the extradition of Coke on drug and gun trafficking charges. The prime minister had opposed the extradition on constitutional grounds that the evidence was inadmissible.

However, he later admitted to sanctioning the hiring of Manatt and offered to resign before finally agreeing to the extradition.

"Based on the evidence already in the public domain, including disclosures in the case filed by Senator Dorothy Lightbourne, as well as these new disclosures by Rear Admiral Lewin, a strong case can be made that some members of the Cabinet may have been involved in perverting the course of justice. The Opposition is repeating its call for a complete, independent investigation - such as a commission of enquiry would provide - into this entire sordid affair," said Bunting.

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