Humza Yousaf has said the SNP would welcome an end to Operation Branchform, but that it is for Police Scotland "to take as much time as they require in order to investigate thoroughly."
The First Minister was speaking to the BBC ahead of the first anniversary of the raid on Nicola Sturgeon’s house and the arrest of her husband, Peter Murrell, the party’s former chief executive.
Police Scotland’s investigation was launched in July 2021 after complaints that £660,000 raised by the party explicitly for a second independence referendum campaign was spent on other items.
Former Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone confirmed later that the probe related to "fraud or potential embezzlement or misuse of funds.”
READ MORE: Operation Branchform: 'We have always acted in interests of justice'
On April 5 2023, as well as quizzing Mr Murrell for several hours, officers searched and removed material from the house he shares with Ms Sturgeon and from SNP HQ in Edinburgh.
A luxury campervan, parked in the driveway of the Fife home of Mr Murrell’s elderly mother was also seized.
Colin Beattie, the party’s former treasurer, and Ms Sturgeon were also subsequently arrested.
All three were released pending further inquiries.
Ms Sturgeon posted on social media that she was “innocent of any wrongdoing”.
Asked if he was frustrated over the length of time being taken by the inquiry, Mr Yousaf told the BBC: “Well, I think people will realise that all of us in the SNP would like to see a conclusion to Operation Branchform.
“I think that’s stating the obvious but, of course, it’s up to Police Scotland to determine how long that takes and for them to have the space and time to investigate thoroughly, and I don’t intend to interfere in that.
“It’s for Police Scotland to take as much time as they require in order to investigate thoroughly.”
Last July, the then chief constable, Sir Iain Livingstone, in one of his final interviews, defended the length of time taken by the probe. He told the BBC: “Investigations into the finances of an organisation, the finances of an individual, are often complex.
“Investigations around fraud or investigations around potential embezzlement or investigations around the misuse of funds take time.
“You need to go and obtain information from banks and other financial institutions. We can't just do that automatically.
“We need to go and seek judicial warrants for that. There needs to be a process around that.
“So the time that's been taken, in my judgement, is absolutely necessary."
READ MORE: Operation Branchform: Lawyers in 'cover-up' claim over lack of action
He added: “There's been a prudent, thorough and proportionate investigation carried out. I have been aware of this investigation since the outset.
“It has got a dedicated team of specialists who are involved in it and they are working very closely with our prosecutors, the Crown Office in Scotland, in terms of the steps that are taken.
“What I would say is that had we not carried out this investigation in the manner we have, I would rightly have been accused of a significant dereliction and neglect of duty.
“That's not the case. We've done the right thing. The rule of law and the interests of justice must prevail.”
A Police Scotland spokesman said: “As the investigation remains ongoing we are unable to comment.”
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