Select a region
The Government is refusing to disclose how much public money will be have to be paid out in damages after Jersey Police unlawfully raided premises allegedly connected to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.
Anonymised court documents released to Express and the JEP on Friday provided confirmation that search warrants – used by police officers seconded to the Economic Crime and Confiscation Unit to raid two properties in April this year – were "obtained unlawfully".
The raids preceded a freeze of more than $7bn-worth of assets suspected to be connected to Mr Abramovich, through a Royal Court order known as a 'saisie judiciaire'.
The documents also showed that, at an unpublicised Royal Court hearing on Wednesday, Chief of Police Robin Smith agreed to apologise to the two applicants – reported by news agency Reuters as being the two companies searched – and pay damages to them from public funds.
However, the exact quantum of damages was only included in a confidential schedule, which was not released to the media.
In an extremely rare step, the names of the lawyers involved in the case were also blacked out.
Pictured: The lawyers involved in the case were not disclosed.
Express asked the government for further information on the public funds that would pay for the damages – including who they would be paid to – but was told that the Treasury Department "will not be commenting on this".
In a statement released on Friday following an urgent senior-level meeting between government officials and representatives from the Law Officers’ Department, Chief Minister Kristina Moore said she had requested an independent review into the searches.
"I should be clear that the Jersey authorities will never make funds available to anyone designated under UK or UN sanctions. Our sanctions authority acts without fear or favour and all sanctioned individuals have access to proper licence arrangements," she added.
Chief Minister orders review into unlawful Abramovich investigation raid
Public money to fund damages for unlawful 'Abramovich raid'
Police admit unlawful search at premises linked to Abramovich, report claims
$400m jet seizure bid exposes Abramovich Jersey web
Reports of new Jersey probe into Abramovich as Chelsea sale passes
Russian assets frozen by Jersey firms top £1bn
Jersey firms froze £700m in Russian assets in March
Jersey seizes '$7bn assets' suspected to be linked to Abramovich
Abramovich yacht 'moved to Jersey company on day of Ukraine invasion'
Police and regulator work to track down Russian wealth
Abramovich: Too "risky" for Switzerland... but not for Jersey?
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.