Northern Ireland’s first minister, Peter Robinson, is facing a complaint made to the police regarding remarks he made in the Commons about a Belfast businessman, it emerged Thursday night. The Police Service of Northern Ireland is being urged to investigate the remarks made by Robinson when he was an MP nine years ago. They concerned Peter Curistan, whom Robinson claimed, under parliamentary privilege, was linked to “dirty IRA money”.
Curistan, who built the entertainment centre known as the Odyssey on the banks of the river Lagan in Belfast, has always denied any connection to paramilitaries. The businessman has repeatedly challenged Robinson to repeat the remarks again in public but outside parliament.
Lawyers acting for Curistan have reported Robinson to the PSNI on the grounds of a “misfeasance in public office”. This means that a public body, an individual in public office or public servant has acted unlawfully, knew that they acted unlawfully, and did so knowing that the actions were likely to cause loss or harm to another.
In a statement, Curistan’s lawyers, KRW Law, said: “Our client now insists the police diligently and expeditiously investigate his allegations and, most importantly, interview the first minister. It is our client’s fervent belief that sufficient evidence exists that Mr Robinson should be investigated, interviewed and prosecuted on the basis of the complaint.”
The first minister dismissed the report, stating that “the police may have to waste their time with this, but I do not”.
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