JUSTICE Devindra Rampersad categorically states that he does not have criminals as friends.
He said in the Port of Spain High Court on Wednesday, “I do not have friends who are criminals.”
Justice Rampersad was responding to comments made by National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds on his ruling judgment where he upheld the constitutional claim of firearms dealer Brent Thomas.
At a press conference last Monday, Hinds reportedly said, “Criminals have friends everywhere in this country. They have them in the Police Service, they have them in the Customs, in the Immigration, in the Defence Force, they have them in the Judiciary, they have them in Parliament.”
Justice Rampersad was speaking at the Waterfront Judicial Centre in Port of Spain in the same constitutional case brought by Thomas to decide on a timeline for submissions on the compensation that should be paid to Thomas.
The judge denied any external interference in his ruling in Thomas’ case.
Attorney General Reginal Armour has since appealed the case and he spoke about the matter in Parliament on Wednesday.
Justice Rampersad said, “I do not know Brent Thomas, nor did I know of Brent Thomas before this case, nor do I know any of his friends or family or acquaintances.”
He said, “No one has lobbied me with respect to this case. No one has reached out to me about this case, nor has anyone sought to influence me in any way.”
Regarding Hinds’ statement, Justice Rampersad described it as “rather unfortunate” as it came from an attorney with significant experience such as Hinds.
Justice Rampersad said, “When one of its own officers, in the context of discussing a case before the court, a case which is not yet even completed before the court, says to the nation that ‘criminals have friends in the Judiciary,’ the obvious intention is to more than just criticise the Judiciary but to go further to suggest that, in some way, illegality is influencing the decisions of these judges, masters, and magistrates, thereby jeopardising the Judiciary as a whole.”
He added, “When viewed in the context of this case before this court, this statement and the innuendo is very damning. A statement and innuendo which this court can assure the nation is absolutely and totally wrong.”
