Peter Robinson to benefit from Nama sale, claims Jamie Bryson

LOYALIST blogger Jamie Bryson has alleged at a Stormont inquiry that First Minister Peter Robinson was to receive a payment once NI’s biggest property deal was finalised

DUP leader Peter Robinson has this afternoon denied Mr Bryson’s allegations.

He said in a statement: “I repeat, I neither received, expected to receive, sought, nor was I offered a single penny as a result of the NAMA sale.

“The allegations made today lack credibility and can have no evidential basis.

“The scripted performance was little short of pantomime.

“It is outrageous that such scurrilous and unfounded allegations can be made without providing one iota of evidence.

“I am happy to appear before the committee.”

The £1.2 billion sale was of property loans to US firm Cerberus by Nama – the Republic of Ireland’s “bad bank” – the National Assets Management Agency.

Mr Bryson told the committee that £7.5 million sum was paid into an Isle of Man bank account controlled by solicitor Ian Coulter.

He said the other beneficiaries were to be:

* Ian Coulter, who was a senior partner in Belfast firm of solicitors Tughans;

* accountant David Watters;

* ex-Nama advisor Frank Cushnahan;

* developer Andrew Creighton.

The Cerebus deal is currently being investigated by the National Crime Agency in the UK and the FBI in America.