PORT OF SPAIN: Jack Warner has a victory to celebrate – after the disgraced former FIFA vice-president won back his parliamentary seat in Trinidad and Tobago.
Warner, who walked away from a clutch of high-profile roles in international football, quit as both National Security Minister and as an MP after being accused of fraud in a report to the central and north American football confederation (CONCACAF).
The former chairman of the United National Congress party has always denied any wrongdoing and launched his comeback attempt by standing for his old seat of Chagunas West on behalf of his newly-formed Independent Liberal Party.
Victory was already assured with 70pc of the votes counted in a contest between Warner and a governing People’s Partnership candidate.
Warner stepped down as CONCACAF president and as FIFA vice-president in 2011 after a “cash-for-votes” scandal during FIFA President Sepp Blatter’s re-election campaign against Mohammed Bin Hammam of Qatar.
Warner will join opposition ranks in parliament alongside the People’s National Movement, which holds 12 of the 41 seats. The ruling People’s Partnership government now has 28 seats.
The FBI has reportedly been examining more than $500,000 in payments made by the Caribbean Football Union – of which Warner was once president – over the past 20 years to an offshore company linked to him.
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