Caption: Former Attorney General, Faris Al Rawi
By Alicia Chamely
FORMER Attorney General, Faris Al-Rawi, is cautioning that interference into the Jack Warner extradition case could potentially harm all extraditions to the United States of America carried out by the government.
Al-Rawi was speaking on Wednesday at a press conference held at the Office of the Opposition Leader, Charles Street, Port-of-Spain.
On Tuesday, British attorney Robert Strang, lead counsel for the state in the case, said a probe had been launched following questions raised by Warner’s legal team concerning an agreement between the U.S and Trinidad and Tobago regarding the criminal charges Warner could face if extradited. Strang further revealed that this agreement could not be found and suggested its possible non-existence.
Responding to this, Al-Rawi said in 2015 a speciality certificate for extradition was prepared by the Central Authority Unit. He explained this certificate clarified what Warner could and could not be charged with upon returning to the U.S.
He said this arrangement had been used for close to 50 extraditions, adding that it was used by former AG Anand Ramlogan and current AG John Jeremie when he served under the late Patrick Manning’s administration. He noted, it was under this arrangement that Jeremie was able to carry out the extradition orders of Steve Ferguson and Ishwar Galbaransingh in the Piarco Airport corruption case.
Al-Rawi presented a diplomatic note as part of former head of the Central Authority Unit Graeme Mc Clean’s sworn affidavit submitted in 2024, when Warner challenged the extradition under an application for constitutional redress.
The note stated, “The United States has reviewed the specialty certificate issued by the Attorney General of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago dated September 21, 2015, in respect of WARNER. The United States assures Trinidad and Tobago that if WARNER is returned to the United States he will not, until he has left or has been free to leave the United States, be detained, prosecuted, or punished for any offense committed before his return other than (a) the offense(s) for which he was extradited, (b) any lesser offense(s) proved by the facts before a magistrate on the extradition proceedings leading to his return; or (c) any other offense(s) being an extradition offense for which the Attorney General of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago may consent to his being so dealt with.”
Al-Rawi further pointed to Mc Clean’s affidavit which stated, “On 27th January 2023 I responded to Mr. Warner’s Attorney-at-law, informing him that the certificate of specialty mirrors the certificates issued by a succession of Attorneys General over the years and reflects in terms of the standing special arrangement with respect to the specialty protection for persons extradited to the USA from Trinidad and Tobago and applies to the Claimant.”
Al-Rawi cautioned that casting doubt on the processes of extradition from T&T to the U.S. could call into question all extradition cases, saying, “If there is to be an investigation as to the special certificate then all specialty certificates have to be examined.”
