PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar has dismissed allegations by her former embattled national security minister Austin Jack Warner that a quantity of marijuana had been found at her home in April 2013.

“More lies and distractions which I have placed in the hands of my lawyers, should Mr Warner have any information about any wrongdoing he should take it to the police and the FBI,” Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar said.

On Sunday, the Trinidad Express newspaper carried a front page story in which Warner is quoted as saying that on Friday, April 12, 2013, former deputy Commissioner of Police Mervyn Richardson came to the Parliament and informed him that a packet containing four ounces of marijuana was found outside a window of Persad-Bissessar’s private residence at Phillipine, south-east of here.

Warner, who was national security minister at the time, has since submitted a statement dated June 6, 2015 to Justice of the Peace Anthony Soulette with the allegation.

He said that, after he was approached by the former senior police officer, he summoned Leader of Government Business Dr Roodal Moonilal who advised him to contact the prime minister who was in New York at the time.

Warner claimed when he contacted the prime minister, she was surprised and enquired whether she should return home immediately and resign.

He claimed further that he advised Persad-Bissessar not to resign as he, Richardson, Moonilal and former national security adviser Gary Griffith would cover up the ganja matter.

Griffith has denied any knowledge of the incident.

“My actions and firm stance on principle has caused me to leave what I believe as a positive legacy during the five-year term of this government,” Griffith said, adding “having acted in that manner then, why would I change my stance on standing firm on principle now, over an alleged report of two marijuana joints found in the yard of the prime minister, when she was not even in the country at the time?”.

Moonilal has also denied the allegation saying that “the Express story is a smokescreen, the real story is Loretta Lynch, (US Attorney General)” said Moonilal.

“From what I read, Warner is confessing to conspiracy to pervert the course of public justice. I am not involved in that, by any stretch of the imagination and I think he is becoming very desperate. I will not be drawn into his circus and his sideshow.”

Warner is among several former and present FIFA officials indicted in the United States on money laundering, conspiracy, fraud and racketeering as a result of their activities at the world’s governing football body.

Warner, the former FIFA vice- president has denied the allegations and is fighting extradition to the United States. He is due to re-appear in court here on July 9.

Warner has promised to link the FIFA funds to the 2010 election campaign of the coalition partnership government.

Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar has denied all allegations made by Warner, who has also published cheques in his Sunshine newspaper showing payments made to a number of people and businesses including an advertising company during the 2010 campaign.