ST GEORGE’S, Grenada (AP) – The governor-general has appointed a prominent Barbados lawyer to lead an inquiry into allegations that Grenada’s prime minister accepted a bribe in exchange for giving a German-born businessman a trade minister position.

Governor General Sir Daniel Williams said Thursday that the inquiry would begin within two weeks with hearings open to the public. He did not provide details on the proceedings, including whether Prime Minister Keith Mitchell would be called to testify.

Williams named Richard Cheltenham, a Barbados lawyer who has litigated before the London-based Privy Council, to conduct the inquiry.

Mitchell has adamantly denied allegations that he accepted a US$500,000 bribe from Eric Resteiner. Business and church leaders, however, had called for an independent investigation.

The prime minister has filed criminal libel lawsuits against several people who have accused him of wrongdoing, including the Miami-based newsletter OffshoreAlert, which first reported the allegations in April. OffshoreAlert’s publisher David Marchant has said he stands by the story.

Tillman Thomas, the leader of the opposition National Democratic Congress, questioned Cheltenham’s ability to conduct a thorough investigation, noting that several key witnesses, including Resteiner and Marchant, were in the United States. He said Cheltenham should be allowed to travel to the United States or have witnesses brought to Grenada, details Williams did not address.