JUSTICE Frank Seepersad on Tuesday ordered the immediate arrest of attorney-at-law Kathy-Ann Mottley and for her to spend 60 days in prison for her failure to pay to her client the proceeds of a judgment amounting to $107,000.
On February 3, Justice Seepersad made a suspended committal order and ruled that Mottley be sent to prison for 60 days unless she paid the $107,000 by March 2, 2020.
On March 2, Mottley applied for an extension of time to pay and Justice Seepersad granted her an extension to June 1, 2020.
Mottley appealed to the Court of Appeal for a stay of the Justice Seepersad’s order of committal.
Her appeal was dismissed on June 1, 2020 by Justice of Appeal Malcolm Holdip and she was ordered to pay costs in the sum of $2,500.
In issuing the order for her immediate arrest on Tuesday in Courtroom POS 03 in Port-of-Spain, Justice Seepersad said, “A no tolerance approach to unlawful activity must be adopted. Persons especially those who hold positions of trust and authority must be held accountable.
“The respondent’s conduct was unlawful and unethical. She abused a position of trust and this court will not tolerate illegal or corrupt activity in any manifestation and it matters not who the offender is or the position which he or she holds.”
He said, “The Marshalls are directed to take respondent into custody and transmit her to the women’s prison for 60 days.”
