Author: Jada Loutoo
THE COURT of Appeal has paid a heartfelt tribute to slain special prosecutor Randall Hector. At the first hearing of a criminal law appeal, for 2025, by the Appeal Court’s east panel, on January 17, Justice Gillian Lucky recognised Hector’s exceptional contributions to the justice system. Sharing the judge’s sentiments were Justices of Appeal Malcolm […]
TWO men previously denied bail on separate murder charges have been advised by the Court of Appeal to file fresh applications in the High Court under the provisions of the new bail regime. In separate hearings on January 17, Justices of Appeal Gillian Lucky, Malcolm Holdip and Carla Brown-Antoine advised Chadney Bengochea and Kefente Simmons […]
THE State has been ordered to compensate two business people and their employee for their wrongful arrest, false imprisonment and assault following their detention at the St Joseph Police Station in October 2017. Hannah Ruth Bovell, Akeem Seetahal and Stephen George will each receive $70,000 in damages and an additional $15,000 in exemplary damages, plus […]
The Privy Council has upheld the Court of Appeal’s decision on the right to appeal from the High Court for bail in murder cases. In a ruling on January 14, Lords Reed, Lloyd-Jones, Hamblen, Leggatt and Lady Simler dismissed the appeal of a soldier charged with killing his two-year-old daughter and wounding her uncle in […]
A 39-YEAR-OLD MAN from Pleasantville, San Fernando, appeared before a San Fernando magistrate on January 10, charged with animal cruelty after being allegedly caught on video beheading a dog on High Street, San Fernando. The disturbing video, which circulated widely on social media, showed a man sitting on the pavement with the severed head of […]
THE State has conceded liability in a lawsuit filed by a San Fernando businesswoman who was arrested at a Woodbrook nightclub in 2017. The concession came on the morning of the trial on January 9. As a result, on assessment of damages Justice Ricky Rahim ordered the State to pay Marsha Khan $125,000 for false […]
THE review tribunal established under the emergency powers regulations has issued procedural guidelines to govern the review of cases for individuals detained under the state of emergency (SoE). These guidelines were gazetted on January 9, and outline the rights of detainees and the processes for conducting reviews of detention cases. The guidelines say detainees held […]
LOU LYONS, co-founder of the band Freetown Collective, has accepted an apology from the South Caribbean Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists (SDA). Lyons’ attorney Joel Roper confirmed his client’s position, while urging the public to be responsible and mindful of what they share and circulate on social media. On January 6, Roper sent a pre-action protocol […]
A High Court judge has permitted a woman facing fresh sexual offences charges to challenge the police’s authority to reinstitute these charges previously discharged by a High Court Master. Justice Devindra Rampersad granted leave to the applicant who, in her lawsuit, argues that the move to relay the charges violated the Administration of Justice (Indictable […]
HIGH Court judge Frank Seepersad will on February 18, deliver his decision in a lawsuit which challenges the promotion process for assistant superintendents of police (ASPs). Insp Mark Hernandez, the former head of the TTPS’ disbanded Special Operations Response Team (SORT) filed a judicial review claim questioning compliance and fairness of the performance appraisal and […]