Complaint against Peter Robinson made to PSNI by Peter Curistan
- Published
Peter Robinson made his claims in parliament in 2006
A complaint has been made to police about Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson.
It calls for an investigation into remarks he made in parliament nine years ago.
Lawyers acting for the Belfast businessman Peter Curistan allege there is a case to answer in respect of "misfeasance in public office".
They lodged a statement of complaint addressed to the chief constable at PSNI headquarters on Thursday.
It claims Mr Robinson has never produced any evidence to support claims against Mr Curistan made under parliamentary privilege in 2006, nor apologised.
The first minister, then MP for east Belfast, stated Mr Curistan was linked with "IRA dirty money".
Peter Curistan says the consequences for his businesses have been enormous
Mr Curistan, the developer behind the city's Odyssey complex, denied this and in a court case involving the government in 2008, a High Court judge said he was "entirely innocent" of the allegation.
Mr Curistan says the consequences for his businesses have been enormous.
He recently engaged firm KRW Law who took advice from Eugene Grant QC, a former chairman of the Northern Ireland Bar Council.
Mr Curistan's legal team claim parliamentary privilege does not extend to an allegation of a criminal offence and there are no issues around statute of limitations.
In a statement, Mr Curistan's lawyers 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."
Mr Robinson issued a statement after being informed of the development by the BBC.
He said: "The police may have to waste their time with this but I do not."