THE Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago (LATT) adds its voice to criticise Minsiter of National Secuirty Fitzgerald Hinds on a statement he made that suggesting that criminals had friends in the judiciary.
It comes one day after the Judiciary condemned Hinds for statements he made at a press conference on Wednesday.
In a release on Friday, LATT stated, “It was while discussing the role of the Police and the decision of the Court in the Brent Thomas Case, the Honourable Minister blurted out that the criminal elements have friends in the judiciary. It would have been impossible for the listening public to exclude the possibility that the Minister was suggesting that the learned judge in the Brent Thomas case was somehow doing the bidding of the criminal element.
“Apart from being grossly unfair, reckless statements like these undermine public confidence in the judiciary and benefit no one.”
LATT stated that it joined with other members of civil society in expressing deep concerns over the matters which were brought to light in the recent judgment of the High Court in the Brent Thomas case.
It stated, “The Court found, and the State appears not to have disputed, that Mr Thomas, who is not accused of committing any offence in Barbados, was arrested by members of the Barbados Police Service at a time when he had lawfully entered that country and was then delivered up to members of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Force at the Grantley Adams International Airport.
“On any account, this constitutes the unlawful abduction of a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago from a friendly neighbouring state in violation of the Extradition laws of that country.
“That much has been admitted by the State.”
LATT also applauded the decision of the Police Complaints Authority to investigate the circumstances in which Thomas was abducted by members of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Force.
It stated, “Given that the Attorney General is reported to have appealed the decision of the High Court, in relation to its other findings, the Law Association refrains from making any further comment on the case. We however consider it imperative that we join with others in condemning the recent statement by the Minister of National Security issued in relation to the High Court judgment.
