By Prior Beharry
ATTORNEY GENERAL Reginal Armour, SC, says he will not be responding in the public domain to the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago (LATT) questions about the Vincent Nelson affair.
In a letter dated October 23, 2022, to President of LATT Sophia Chote, Armour said, “I have given careful consideration to the Media Statement issued by the Council of the Law Association on the 21st October, 2022, following on the reported deliberations of the Council at its Extraordinary Meeting held on the 20th of October. I will not be responding to that Media Statement in the public domain.”
LATT had asked Armour to address six issues before, it reconsiders its position on the matter.
They included, whether former attorney general Faris Al-Rawi participated or was involved in the collection of evidence for the prosecution of his predecessor Anand Ramlogan and former UNC senator Gerald Ramdeen in the bribery case against them where Nelson was the state’s main witness and refused to testify.
LATT also wanted to know whether Nelson was the recipient of legal fees after giving evidence against Ramlogan and Ramdeen.
It also wanted to find out whether Al-Rawi negotiated a plea agreement in the absence of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
LATT also wanted a detailed account of all funds paid to Nelson’s local and foreign attorneys who represented him after he was charged alongside Ramlogan and Ramdeen.
It also called the indemnity agreement between Nelson and Al-Rawi as “highly unusual” and stated that it was especially concerned that Nelson allegedly got financial benefits after the indemnity was signed.
In his letter, Armour said that the LATT must be aware that he was a defendant in the ongoing civil proceedings (CV-2022/00408 Nelson v The Attorney General) where Nelson is claiming breach of the indemnity agreement.
He said, “It surprises me therefore that the Association should have issued such a public statement in the first place, more so to issue a call for me, as Attorney General, to engage in a public discussion of very serious issues which are clearly governed by the sub judice rule and which potentially may influence or impact the outcome of those proceedings.
Armour said, “Out of respect for the important pivotal national role and function of the Law Association I respond to you, as President of the Law Association, by this letter and for the attention of your Council.
“As Attorney General, on the 10th October 2022, I have already stated my concern that the criminal prosecution was discontinued; that I am committed to protecting the public interest and that, I will be taking advice going forward. This I am doing. With respect, I say no more.”
He said he was concerned by narratives in the public domain designed to prevent the re-instating of the case against Ramlogan and Ramdeen.
Armour said, “I take the opportunity however to note my concern that there is a narrative building in the public domain which appears designed by some to pre-empt the Director from reinstating the discontinued prosecution against Messrs Ramlogan and Ramdeen when his witness becomes available. I consider it wholly inappropriate to engage in any public debate and do not propose to join the ongoing public narrative.”
