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Offline kounty

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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #390 on: February 03, 2015, 11:02:05 AM »
bet yuh West on a political platform in few months time as the antithesis of kams & crew. bounce she head.

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Rowley on Ramlogan resignation: Good riddance!
« Reply #391 on: February 04, 2015, 03:39:22 AM »
Rowley on Ramlogan resignation: Good riddance!
By Richard Lord (T&T Guardian)
Published: Wednesday, February 4, 2015


Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, centre, speaks to her newly appointed ministers during a break at yesterday's sitting of the Senate at the International Waterfront, Port-of-Spain. From left is Kwasi Mutema, minister in the Ministry of National Security; Attorney General Garvin Nicholas; Sport Minister Brent Sancho; Minister of the People Christine Newallo-Hosein and National Security Minister retired Brig Gen Carl Alfonso. PHOTO: JEFF MAYERS

Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley says Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s removal of Anand Ramlogan as attorney general was an act to formalise his public rejection. He was speaking during a news conference at his Charles Street, Port-of-Spain, office yesterday. Ramlogan was among four ministers who were removed from the Cabinet. Senate President Timothy Hamel-Smith was also sacked without explanation.
 
Monday’s cabinet reshuffle was the fourth by Persad-Bissessar since assuming office in 2010. Rowley said Persad-Bissessar, in her address to the nation, went out of her way to distract the population from the issue at hand, adding that if she had the authority she would have attempted to remove Police Complaints Authority Director David West from office.
 \
 Rowley said since Ramlogan’s appointment in 2010, Persad-Bissessar had protected him and given him unwavering support. Rowley said that was done although Ramlogan “continued on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis to embarrass the population, disrespect his office and put the Government and the public interests at risk.”
 
Ramlogan is being investigated by the police in response to a complaint made by West that he offered him the post of PCA director in exchange for his withdrawing a witness statement in a defamation matter Ramlogan filed against Rowley. Gary Griffith was also removed from the Cabinet as the national security minister, for failing to report to the PM that Ramlogan allegedly asked him to get West to withdraw the witness statement.
 
Rowley said Ramlogan was facing a criminal investigation for which, if charged and found guilty, he could face a 20-year jail term. “That was just too much for the population to take,” Rowley added. “It was the general sentiment in T&T that enough was enough of Anand Ramlogan,” Rowley added. Rowley said the PM raised “red herrings to distract” from the stark development of her attorney general being investigated for a criminal offence.
 
Rowley said the PM made no mention of that calamity in her address. He said it remained unclear as to whether Ramlogan resigned or was fired as the PM did not indicate. He said Persad-Bissessar was the only prime minister who boasted about the number of ministers she had removed after appointing them.
 
No problem with West
Rowley said it was an absurdity for the PM to raise new issues concerning West. In response to Persad-Bissessar’s claim that he, Rowley, should have advised her that West was a witness in a defamation matter between Ramlogan and himself, Rowley said he was not an adviser to the PM and Ramlogan was fully aware of the development. He added Ramlogan, as attorney general, was the official adviser to the Cabinet.
 
Rowley said he maintained his position that West was the most suitable person to head the PCA. “The suitability of David West to be head of the PCA has nothing to do with him being a witness,” Rowley added.
 
What about Vasant
Rowley is also asking why no action was taken against Communication Minister Vasant Bharath, who, he said “is under a similar allegation for the same crime.” He questioned whether the nation would have “to wait until a statement is given to the police about the Minister of Communication and others before she then takes them on board.” He said the headline was “not David West, not Keith Rowley, the headline is an attorney general who has done until he has over-done.”
De higher a monkey climbs is de less his ass is on de line, if he works for FIFA that is! ;-)

Offline Sando prince

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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #392 on: February 09, 2015, 11:46:12 AM »

http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2015-02-09/people-will-vote-party-not-leader


Quote

Panday said he welcome a probe into alleged witness tampering involving former Ramlogan. He said the probe must me a meaningful one and there should be no cover up.He said if there was a cover up the entire exercise would be meaningless.

Offline Flex

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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #393 on: February 26, 2015, 02:45:10 AM »
Probe into former AG Ramlogan: Cops quiz Gary again.
By Renuka Singh (Guardian).


Police investigators yesterday questioned former national security minister Gary Griffith as the probe  continued into Police Complaints Authority director David West’s allegation that former attorney general Anand Ramlogan attempted to pervert the course of justice. While investigators have been keeping the details of their probe close to their chests, one police source yesterday revealed Griffith spent several hours being grilled by investigators assigned by Deputy Commissioner of Police Harold Phillip.

The source said when Griffith, who filed police statements in the ongoing matter earlier this month, emerged from the office just after 4 pm yesterday, he seemed visibly upset and was heard commenting that Ramlogan had asked him “just five words” and it led to “all of this.” The T&T Guardian attempted to contact Griffith several times yesterday evening but his mobile phone had been switched off.

On January 29 West delivered a statement to acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams, in which he claimed Ramlogan had asked him to withdraw his (West) witness statement in the defamation lawsuit involving People’s National Movement leader Dr Keith Rowley, in exchange for West being selected for the PCA job. That lawsuit involves the failed extradition of Section 34 applicants Steve Ferguson and Ish Galbaransingh.

The police probe was announced later that same day. Ramlogan, who has denied the claims, was removed from office by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who noted that the probe was one of the reasons for his removal. She also removed Griffith as well after he became embroiled in the debacle between Ramlogan and West.

Griffith has confirmed that he was approached by Ramlogan to use his friendship with West  to confirm “if West recalled the documents” in the Section 34 lawsuit. He has maintained, however, that he was not aware of exactly what the “documents” in question were but was just delivering a message on Ramlogan’s behalf when he approached West in the matter. He has also claimed that some of his former Cabinet colleagues attempted to get him to change his mind when he supported West’s claims.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline Bourbon

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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #394 on: March 14, 2015, 11:40:15 PM »
The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today are Christians who acknowledge Jesus ;with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.

Offline Sando prince

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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #395 on: March 16, 2015, 07:44:31 PM »


T&TEC rules flouted for ex-AG

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/TTEC-rules-flouted-for-ex-AG-296392691.html

By Aniks Gumbs CCN Senior Multimedia Investigate Journalist

FORMER attorney general Anand Ramlogan is among selected customers who benefitted from the hefty reduction of major contracting fees at debt-ridden State-owned Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC).
Only last year it was revealed that T&TEC is running a deficit of some $1 billion per annum because of old equipment.
But, according to Ramlogan, the revised sum of $247,253.86 from the original $642,999.84 was what T&TEC officials advised him to pay for the relocation of high tension wires sloping over a vacant parcel of land at Estate Drive, Phillipine.
T&TEC officials told the Express that the high tension wires (66,000 volts) needed to be relocated before construction could commence on the land.
The job, which involves the diversion of the Penal-Phillipine 66 KV circuit, was originally estimated at $642,999.84.
And attempts by the Express to get answers from Ramlogan as to how the fee was revised have not been forthcoming.
Ramlogan has also refused to say why T&TEC, in a letter dated December 11, 2014, wrote to Azad Mohammed and not him advising of the revised sum of $247,253.86.
The December 11 letter lists Mohammed’s address as #19 Lazzari Trace, Block Two, Palmiste.
Express investigations revealed that the Lazzari Trace address matches that of a townhouse situated next to the one Ramlogan occupies at Palm Villas, Palmiste while his nearby private residence undergoes renovation.
Mohammed has also not responded to telephone calls and text messages sent to him by the Express seeking clarification on his involvement in the T&TEC transaction.
Investigations revealed that the $247,253.86 payment was made for Ramlogan on January 1, 2015, exactly one month before he was fired in light of witness-tampering allegations involving Police Complaints Authority director David West.
Questions as to how Freedom Law Chambers came in possession of the December 11 letter and ended up faxing it to T&TEC the same day the $247,253.86 payment for the job was made were also not answered by Ramlogan.
Ramlogan, who once headed Freedom Law Chambers, is on record as saying that he handed the firm to his legal partner Cindy Bhagwandeen when he was appointed AG in 2010.
So why was Freedom Law Chambers involved in a transaction with Ramlogan while he was AG?

Ramlogan would not say

Asked by the Express on February 27 to explain the involvement of Mohammed and Freedom Law Chambers in the T&TEC transaction, Ramlogan via a text message replied: “These questions should be addressed to T&TEC which is in possession of the relevant facts including the payments I was advised to make relative to this issue.”
Investigations revealed that the major contracting fees were initially calculated based on the scope of the job, which includes the installation of eight 21-metre poles, two 12-metre poles and the transferring of conductors.
The job also includes the removal of three 17-metre poles and fittings.
According to the manager transmission maintenance Chrisalston Belle, development of infrastructure in the area was the reason for the revised fee.
In the December 11 letter, Belle wrote: “The civil infrastructure within the area was developed after our initial survey, thus creating additional options for installation of our infrastructure. As a result the Commission revised its design and the new costs for the relocation is $247,253.86 plus Value Added Tax. This cost is valid for three months from the date of this letter and must be paid before the job is scheduled.”

Ramsook misleads

However, T&TEC general manager Kelvin Ramsook told the Express that the revised fee was based on an e-mail directive he gave on September 22, 2011.
At the time Ramsook issued the e-mail regarding the revised fees for major contracting jobs he had no authority to do so.
In fact, the general manger at the time was Glenford Cyrille who had the sole authority to revise the T&TEC general instruction regarding fees for major contracting jobs.
Investigations revealed that at the time of the September 22 e-mail , Ramsook held the substantive post of assistant general manager distribution. Ramsook later replaced Cyrille. Ramsook sent a copy of a September 22, 2011 e-mail to the Express in what he claimed was a directive for the revised fees.
Investigations revealed that the e-mail was not sent to Cyrille, who held the post of general manager from May 1, 2011 to November 18, 2011.
The e-mail read: “Please be reminded that all requests for pole relocation or property that belongs to T&TEC, the actual cost to do the job must be charged to the customer with no add on 50 per cent. The 50 per cent add on is when we do work installation that do not belong to the Commission i.e. when we work as a contractor to the company making request for the service.
“Example: Ministry of Works relocation of poles jobs should have no mark up 50 per cent increase as well as labour.”
The September 22 e-mail was sent to the following area managers: Zainool Mohammed, Felix Alleyne, Rene Austin, Anthony McIntosh and Alvin Ramsaran. Further investigations, however, revealed that Ramsook’s directive was issued to the heads of distribution and not to the transmission department at T&TEC that is responsible for the job at Estate Drive, Phillipine. Pole relocation forms a subset of major contracting at T&TEC and can either be done by the distribution or transmission departments.
However, the distribution department deals with pole relocation that carries voltages less than 33,000 volts, while the transmission department handles voltages above that.
Further probing revealed that at the time of Ramsook’s directive the five area managers were assigned to the following district distribution departments:
Mohammed (Central)
Alleyne (Eastern)
Austin (Southern)
McIntosh (Tobago)
Ramsaran (Northern)

Neither Ramsook nor any of the five area managers had the authority to revise the major contracting fees.
The job at Estate Drive, Phillipine falls under the transmission department that has no new general instruction to revise fees for major contracting jobs.
Official documents obtained by the Express also revealed that three weeks ago, copies of the files containing the revised fees given to several companies were removed from the transmission department.
Perusal of the documents by the Express, however, showed that the directive to revise the fees listed at the bottom of each job scope was inked off with a black marker.

Fees flouted based
on 2011 e-mail

Asked why was the directive inked off from the various job scopes if the September 22 e-mail was legitimate, Ramsook said: “The directive was given since 2011.”
Explaining that T&TEC is involved in two types of major contracting, Ramsook said: “There are jobs where T&TEC works as a private contractor and charges the 50 per cent. If a normal pole relocation has to be done where T&TEC may have had poles on the premises of someone and for some reason the poles need to be relocated a request needs to made. When the request is made T&TEC charges the actual cost and an administrative cost.”
Told that the e-mail is in contrast to the general instruction of T&TEC for major contracting jobs, Ramsook said: “We have been reviewing our general instruction which is done by the general manager, so from time to time this was one that required clarification.”
Asked to explain why Mohammed was involved in Ramlogan’s transaction at T&TEC, Ramsook said: “You may probably have contractors acting on behalf of clients and they make representation for the relocation of the poles.
“We ask for ownership documents for connection purposes. A contractor may make a request on behalf of a client. First of all, I am not confirming what you’re saying.
“I have correspondence from Mr Azad Mohammed. I recall that situation so I can only confirm for Azad Mohammed.”
As to whether T&TEC was only in possession of documentation from Mohammed and not Ramlogan, Ramsook said: “Hold on, from the information I have it is Azad Mohammed who made the request for the relocation of the said job. There may be other documentation, but I have to check.”
Told that T&TEC received payment for the Estate Drive, Phillipine job on January, 14, 2015, Ramsook said: “Well, you have it before you, Ma’am, so let us move on.”
Asked if T&TEC contacted Ramlogan, he said. “Remember you are in the media. I gave you the information about Mr Azad Mohammed. I would have really like to leave it there.”

What T&TEC general
instruction states

According to the T&TEC general instruction (NO: FA03/1208), estimates for major contracting jobs are to be billed as followed:
*Labour utilising the man hour rate plus 50 per cent
*Materials from stock at stock list price plus 50 per cent
*Outside purchases at the cost plus10 per cent
*Transport costs utilising the mileage rate

n About the investigation

list of some of the jobs that benefitted from Ramsook’s directive:
*Removal of down guys on the CNC-Savonetta 66KV circuit;
*Diversion of the Lady Hailes-Harmony Hall and the Lady Hailes-Gulf View 66 KV circuits for the Water and Sewerage Authority to construct a sewerage treatment plant;
* De-energise, isolate and earth the North Oropouche-Wallerfield 66KV circuit on multiple days for the construction of a bridge at Valencia by the National Infrastructure Development Company;
* Diversion of the Penal-Phillipine 66KV circuit; and
*Diversion of the Bamboo-Macoya/ Trincity 66 KV

Offline Flex

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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #396 on: March 17, 2015, 01:56:31 AM »
CLEAR PM, ANAND
By NALINEE SEELAL (Newsday).


POLICE investigators have reportedly found no criminal misconduct on the part of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and former Attorney General Anand Ramlogan in the emailgate affair and are recommending both be cleared of all accusations.

The recommendations are said to be in a draft document prepared by Superintendent of Police Baldeo Nanan who led a team of officers investigating the claims which linked several Government officials to criminal conduct.

Also prominently mentioned in the matter were Minister of Works and Infrastructure Suruj Rambachan and former Minister of National Security Gary Griffith. According to Newsday sources, documents relating to Rambachan and Griffith are yet to be perused by investigators.

The Nanan document was reportedly sent to Deputy Police Commissioner Glen Hackett for his perusal and is expected to be made available to Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Joan Honore-Paul in a few days time.

Newsday understands Nanan and his team of five officers completed their examination of documents from Google International last Friday and over the weekend, with the assistance of legal officers from the Police Service, prepared the document in which they found no evidence to suggest the Prime Minister and Ramlogan were involved in any criminal misconduct.

The officers also provided a copy of emails read in Parliament in 2013 by Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley and the emails provided by Google for the period September 1 to September 30, 2012.

The emails from Google are said to differ from emails which were presented in Parliament by Rowley. TTPS Head of Corporate Communications Ellen Lewis, when contacted yesterday to ascertain whether Hackett had received the draft document from Nanan, would only say, “The investigations are ongoing.”

Lewis said she made a check with Hackett who said he was not in possession of any draft document at that time from the team of officers probing the controversy. Newsday understands officers are yet to receive from Google the emails for the same period sent and received by Rambachan and Griffith.

This means the police will have to wait until those documents are received from Google before they can proceed with the enquiry or bring it to an end. Sources revealed the CD from Google which contained nine folders was perused by officers and matched against the emails purported to have been sent and received by the PM and Ramlogan for the period September 1 to September 30, 2012.

Newsday understands that after Honore-Paul meets with the police on the matter, a statement could be issued. The CD was described by Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams as voluminous, but he promised that when the review is completed and direction sought it will be made public.

The number of emails shared between Ramlogan and Persad-Bissessar are reported to be close to 100, while the other emails consist of exchanges between the PM, the former AG, Griffith and Rambachan.

The emails were sent by Google through the United States State Department of Justice to Netram Kowlessar, of the Central Authority based at the office of the Attorney General on January 29.

Sources revealed a covering letter was signed by an official of the Justice Department on behalf of Mary D Rodriguez, Acting Director of the Office of International Affairs in Washington.

Newsday understands copies of the emails were sent to the Office of the DPP and Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams.

The compilation of emails was passed on to the police legal department by Williams and officers there started reviewing the emails along with those presented in Parliament. Persad-Bissessar has indicated she will be taking legal action against Rowley for defamation of character.

It is further understood the US Department of Justice confirmed there was no responsive information in relation to the email address: anan@gmail.com, but materials in relation to the addresses of Griffith and Rambachan were still outstanding.

The Department of Justice reportedly sent a response following a request for assistance over allegations of misconduct in public office against the Government officials. Police are mindful that the Integrity Commission is doing its own probe into the matter.

In May 2013, Rowley alleged a conspiracy to murder a journalist and to pervert justice, during a motion of no-confidence against the Government. He produced what he said were email exchanges among the Prime Minister and Government ministers in relation to the circumstances surrounding the early proclamation of Section 34, which sought to bar prosecution of persons on charges more than ten years old — a move which it was suggested could potentially have freed UNC financiers Steve Ferguson and Ish Galbaransingh who are facing white-collar crime charges.

Immediately after Rowley made the allegations, Persad-Bissessar referred the matter to the police for investigation. The case was assigned to Assistant Commissioner of Police Mervyn Richardson but upon Richardson’s retirement, the matter was assigned to Hackett in late 2013.

Newsday understands Hackett made a request of the Central Authority to seek assistance from the US Department of Justice, calling for any relevant information and to conduct checks to test the claims made. The investigator is said to have called for any emails for the period August 31, 2012, to September 30, 2012, relating to the named email accounts.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline Flex

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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #397 on: March 22, 2015, 05:04:19 AM »
Company with no legal expertise awarded $1.7m contract under ex-AG’s office
By DENYSE RENNE (Express).


MYSTERY TIGER

The Office of the Attorney Gene­ral retained the services of a company with no legal expertise among its directors to give advice relating to mutual legal assistance by the United States of America.

The company, Tiger Capital Ltd, was paid $1,750,000 on Novembe­r 18, 2014, for advice, despite having no legal expertise.

The company’s directors are a building contractor, proprietor and financial consultant.

Exactly what advice was sought and disseminated to the Central Authority of the Attorney General’s office remains a mystery since no one at the offices of the Attorney General or Central Authority seems to know the circumstances under which Tiger Capital Ltd was retained and how its fees were calculated.

The authority falls under the purview of the Office of the Attorney General and works closely with regional and international foreign agencies in extradition requests, as well as assists with criminal cases (retrieving of documentation, etc). The authority is headed by attorney Netram Kowlessa­r.

When contacted yesterday morning, sources at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC, USA, told the Sunday Express they are not familiar with the company and have never received any request for information nor given any information to any entit­y in Trinidad and Tobago known as Tiger Capital Ltd.

Stressing that all requests for information have always been made through the Central Authorit­y and vice versa, an official said, “Rest assured the Department of Justice would never provide confidential information to any entity which does not fall under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty. There are strict guidelines which must be adhered to when requesting information and must be signed off by the head of the Central Authorit­y”.

An official statement from the Department of Justice responding to e-mailed questions from the Sunday Express regarding Tiger Capital Ltd is expected to be given by next week.

Details of what services were rendered and what cases or matters and the advice given remain unknown since only “Request for Mutual Assistance by the USA” was stated on the invoice submitted by Tiger Capital Ltd.

Sources told the Sunday Express staff at the Attorney General’s office are also in the dark as to what services, if any, this company gave and who recommended Tiger Capital Ltd since the company is not known within the legal circles locally, regionally or internationally.

Checks by the Sunday Express revealed that apart from the directors and secretary, the company is not staffed.

Other questions being posed by staff include why is the Central Authority, a department within the Office of the Attorney General, granting briefs to an unknown entity when the authority is staffed with individuals versed in drafting documents for extradition and mutual assistance.

Additionally, invoices show that Senior Counsel Pamela Elder was paid $1,150,000 on November 18, 2014.

Elder’s invoice stated the fee was for “Request for mutual legal assistance by the USA dated 15/10/14”.

Elder, according to invoices obtained by the Sunday Express, appeared in several extradition matters for the Central Authority.

On April 8,2014, Elder was paid $546,250 for the extradition of Amarnath Jagmohan vs Attorney General and others. On November 26, 2014, Elder was paid $276,000 for the extradition of Jagmohan dated 05/06/14.

Another attorney, Jagdeo Singh, also sought the authority’s interest in extradition matters.

On January 17, 2014, Singh received $201,250 for appearing in the matter of Jason Anthony Nelson to the United Kingdom.

He again received $201,250 on January 23, 2014, for that same matter and that same amount on March 8, 2014, for the extradition request of Desmond Davy.

A firm called Walkers received $16,072.89 for mutual legal assistance.

Checks by the Sunday Express at the Supreme Court in Port of Spain revealed Tiger Capital Ltd never appeared on behalf of the authority or Attorney General’s offic­e in any extradition matters.

About Tiger Capital Ltd

Checks by the Sunday Express with the Ministry of Legal Affairs’ Company Registry last Friday, showed Tiger Capital Ltd was registered on November 23, 2004, by attorney Rudyard Davidson.

It was also stamped by the Registrar General’s Office on the same day and carries the company number T4365 (95) and is listed as a private company. Service­s provided by the company are not listed.

On the November 22, 2004, application form, the company names financial services consultant Kenny Soodhoo and businesswoman Monique Pillai as directors.

Under “Change of Directors”, on November 20, 2013, proprietor Winston Samuel Russell of Caledonia Road, Lange Park, Chaguanas, was appointed a director. On that same date, Pillai ceased “to hold office as director”. As of November 5, 2014, Soodhoo and Russell remained directors.

On December 9, 2014, contractor Clement Nazim Ali, of Curepe, was appointed director. That same day, Russell “ceased to hold office”. Soodhoo was then appointed secretary.

None of the past or present directors has a legal background.

Efforts to contact all past and present directors were unsuccessful, as their phones were not in service.

When the Sunday Express visi­ted the 16B McInroy Street, Curepe, address of Tiger Capital Ltd yesterday, there was an empty plot of land. Checks with residents in the area revealed that no one had ever heard of the business Tiger Capital Ltd being located at the given address.

No comment from head of Central Authority and former attorney general Contacted for a comment last Friday afternoon, head of the Central Authority Netram Kowlessa­r was asked by the Sunday Express who recommended Tiger Capital Ltd to the authority? What were their qualifications and where the company operated.

Kowlessar said, “Ma’am, I’m sorry, I would not be able to comment on that.”

The Sunday Express continued its questioning and asked Kowlessar whether he was aware of this company. Kowlessar said yes.

Has Tiger Capital Ltd ever been retained by the Central Authority and what mutual assistance did the company give the Central Authority? the Sunday Express asked.

He said, “Firstly, I must let you know Central Authority’s work with respect to mutual assistanc­e is covered in a certain level of confidentiality and this is embedded in the treaty of the State between states we operate with.

“So once there is something involving a mutual legal assistance request as such, the base of that level is a level of confidentiality which must be exercised. In these matters regarding documents and disclosures, we are prohibited from disclosing anything,” Kowlessar said.

The Sunday Express persisted in its questioning, asking Kowlessar to justify the $1.7 million fee paid to Tiger Capital and what was the expertise of the company, but he refused to answer.

Asked why the authority would seek advice on mutual assistance matters from a contractor, Kowlessar said nothing.

Told that information received stated that he and then-attorney general Anand Ramlogan certified the invoice brought by Tiger Capital Ltd, Kowlessar said, “By confirming or denying any of the questions, on any information with mutual assistance, I cannot comment. Kindly respect what I do and what I can say and cannot say.”

Ramlogan was also contacted last Friday afternoo­n and asked whether he was familiar with Tiger Capital Ltd.

He said, “I can’t remember, but go ahead.”

Asked how the company was chosen, Ramlogan asked that questions be e-mailed to him.

The Sunday Express complied and e-mailed the following questions at 2.22 p.m. last Friday:

1. Are you familiar with the company Tiger Capital Ltd?

2. Are you familiar with the directors of Tiger Capital Ltd?

3. How was this firm selected to do work for the Office of the Attorney General and, by extension, the Central Authority during your tenure?

4. What exactly did this firm do while retained by the Central Authority to receive a $1,750,00 payment?

5. Does this firm have any legal experience? If so, kindly list the matters they have been involved in.

Ramlogan responded at 12.53 p.m. yesterda­y: “As you are aware, the work of the central authority is extremely sensitive and confidentia­l as it involves work with internationa­l law enforcemen­t agencies and foreign government­s on complex cross-border criminal investigation­s.

“Relevant expertise is contracted as and when necessary in consultation with other agencies in accordance with the established practice and procedure. The required expertise may vary with the facts, issues and subject matter of the relevant case and is hence not necessarily limited to legal expertise.

“It would not be proper for me to comment on the work of the authority and I do not wish to prejudice any ongoing investigations. That is the prerogative of the Attorney General and the Head of the Central Authority.”

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline zuluwarrior

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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #398 on: March 22, 2015, 11:40:51 AM »
This PP government prove everything they touch turn to shit I would not believe any report from google they have or bring to the public at this .

The truth would come out in the mean time I would wait on the report the Integrity commission ask google for .
.
good things happening to good people: a good thing
good things happening to bad people: a bad thing
bad things happening to good people: a bad thing
bad things happening to bad people: a good thing

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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #399 on: March 22, 2015, 12:30:00 PM »
If this current government gets another 5 years we will end up just like Guyana not just financially and economically but also race relations wise.
« Last Edit: March 22, 2015, 12:33:41 PM by Socapro »
De higher a monkey climbs is de less his ass is on de line, if he works for FIFA that is! ;-)

Offline weary1969

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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #400 on: March 22, 2015, 03:07:46 PM »
If this current government gets another 5 years we will end up just like Guyana not just financially and economically but also race relations wise.

CO-SIGN to the nth power.
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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #401 on: March 25, 2015, 01:51:51 AM »
PROBE ANAND’S LEGAL BRIEFS
Ramlogan: False and totally baseless
By Denyse Renne (Express).


The Police Service and Inte­grity Commission are being called on to launch an investigation into the Office of the Attorney General, which has spent millions on the retention of attorneys in private practice since 2010.

Former attorneys general (AGs) John Jeremie SC and Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj SC hosted a joint media brief­ing at the Radisson Hotel, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain, yesterday morning, expressing concern over the spending of legal fees and calling for a forensic probe to take place.

Asked whether the police should also investigate whe­ther “kick-backs” were paid, Maharaj said, “If during the investigations, the police can find that some of the monies paid to some lawyers, or some of the money paid was given back, too, or used as conditions, that is a serious offence.

“If it is prima facie...if this sum is not reasonable, I think the public is entitled to know and would want to be satisfied”, he said.

Jeremie said as a former AG, he became distressed at the $300 milli­on-plus legal bill the AG’s office has raked in for the past four years under then AG Anand Ramlogan.

Jeremie referenced a state ment made by Ramlo­gan on September 22, 2010, at the opening of the law term, in which Ramlogan told the media, “I don’t know if Dr Rowley expects me to hire my enemies. What am I to do, hire people who are not my friends? I have a lot of friends in the legal profession and I

tend to rely on them for inde­pen­dent, impartial, reliable and compe­tent legal advice, and I make no apologies for that.”

Ramlogan had made the statement after concerns were raised by Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley that he was only retaining his friends to represent the State in court matters and exorbitant monies in legal briefs were being paid.

Jeremie said the ability of the AG to spend monies freely “is virtually unchecked since there is no legislation in place to monitor spending.

“No one can tell him which lawyer to select to do what,” Jeremie said.

Describing the operations and expenditure of the Office of the AG under Ramlogan as being nothing short of “scandalous, disrespectful and damaging to the dispensation of justice in our nation”, Jere­mie said the multimillion-dollar legal bill racked up by the State “is devoid of legal pru­dence and fiscal intelligence”.

Adding he received no joy as a former AG to be addressing such a matter, he said as a nation of laws founded on the principles set forth in the Constitution, “our Constitution is the supreme law of the land.

“The powers to actually spend money without oversight...with this great power comes great responsibility, great discipline, great discretion and great integrity.

“The trust given to the AG by our legislative arrangements must not be abused and cannot be seen to be abused.”

Jeremie said from the doc­umentation which he has seen, it appears vast sums of taxpayers’ money were “spent for work that appears not to have been real work at all, or work paid for at a level that is not commensurate with real economic market rates. Even when allowances are made, it appears that State work seems to be better numerated than private sector work”.

Adding when he demitted office in 2010, his budget for attorneys in private practice being retained by the State never reached any exorbi­tant figure, Jeremie said in 2008, his budget was $37 million and $40 million in 2009.

Comparing the figures with that under the tenure of Ram­logan, Jeremie said in 2010, the fees moved from $36 million to over $78 million.

“In 2012, the $78 million jumped again to $104 million. Where I had been paying roughly $36 million a year for several years, by 2015, that figure had increased from $104 million to $130 million,” Jeremie said.

“Not only were the fees payable to attorneys increa­sing at an alarming rate, but the percentage of fees as against the total budget allocation increased overnight in 2010, from 25 to 40 per cent in 2011,” he said.

Jeremie also questioned the legal work done by seve­ral of the attorneys and the fees charged.

He said in most cases, the court matters and probe fees were paid and nothing happened.

“Fees were charged and paid for the investigation into Scarborough General Hospital and it has not seen the light of day. Investigations into the Housing Development Corpora­tion (HDC), a report was made which merely repeated the findings of the Uff commission of enquiry,” Jeremie said.

Jeremie also said he was concerned about simple mat-ters being briefed by the State.

Using the matter involving advice being given on the exemption of taxes on the purchase of vehicles and reported fees of Tiger Capital Ltd, Jeremie said there can be no justification for such expense.

“At times, it is confusing; the money is exposing regular patterns of expenditure, regrettably though, it disclo­ses a prima facie evidence of financial impropriety,” Jeremie added.

Maharaj endorsed the statements made by Jeremie and described the Office of the AG as an important one.

“The holder of this office performs an important constitutional function and is also the guardian of the public interest

“When there were serious allega­tions and no action is taken by the Prime Minister to address the wrongs, the office and Govern­ment are brought into disrepute,” Maharaj said.

‘Recover funds from Tiger Capital’

On the issue of Tiger Capital Ltd, the mystery firm which received $1.75 million for mutual legal assistance from the Central Authority, which is under the purview of the Office of the AG, Jeremie said the comments given by Ramlogan with respect to the retainer of Tiger Capital Ltd “suggests that the company might have been hired to provide non-legal services”.

“If that is the case, then two things ought to have been followed. Firstly, the retainer of the company must have required permission in advance of the Central Tenders Board. If no permission was granted, the retainer would be illegal and funds paid under it should be recoverable”, Jeremie said.

Adding any information sought in respect of services provided by Tiger Capital Ltd (a non-legal firm) “would not be entitled to the benefit of legal client/attorney privilege”, Jeremie said the mutual legal assistance in the Criminal Matters Act does not clothe the work of the Central Authority with client/attorney privilege.

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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #402 on: March 28, 2015, 01:32:10 PM »
I feel the PM give west that job so that he would not be a witness for Dr Rowley  ,she also should  be charged for witness tampering . That lady cannot be trusted
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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #403 on: March 28, 2015, 05:21:51 PM »
I feel the PM give west that job so that he would not be a witness for Dr Rowley  ,she also should  be charged for witness tampering . That lady cannot be trusted

The job could not have, and will not prevented West from being a witness for Rowley.

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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #404 on: May 05, 2015, 01:59:54 AM »
JACK LYING ON ME
By JADA LOUTOO (Newsday).
Tuesday, May 5 2015


FORMER Attorney General Anand Ramlogan has accused his former Cabinet colleague Jack Warner of fabricating lies against him to defend defamatory statements of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP) political leader at a political meeting at Endeavour, Chaguanas, two years ago.

Ramlogan has filed a defamation claim against Warner for statements allegedly made on the hustings during the ILP’s local government election campaign. At the meeting held on October 19, 2013, Warner alleged that the then AG was the owner of over 51 properties, “some of them in his brother’s name.”

Warner also claimed Ramlogan gave permission for British solicitor Ackbar Ali to take care of his business. The ILP’s leader has admitted he made the statements after they were told to him by Ramlogan at a meeting of state boards at the Diplomatic Centre, chaired by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, one year earlier.

According to Warner, Ramlogan informed the prime minister of the properties he acquired in response to a question she asked. Ramlogan has denied having any conversation with his former Cabinet colleague, saying he did not trust Warner to discuss his personal affairs with him.

Testifying at the trial currently underway in the Port-of-Spain Civil Court, before Justice Robin Mohammed, Ramlogan insisted Warner’s claim that he told him he was the owner of 51 properties was “completely false” and a “fabrication.”

“I have no reason to lie. No such conversation had taken place,” Ramlogan insisted. Pressed again by Warner’s attorney Keith Scotland about the alleged conversation on the ownership of the properties, the former attorney general flippantly said he wished he was the owner of 51 properties. “Then I would not be here,” he said. Ramlogan said as Cabinet colleagues, he and Warner would only speak of matters relating to the government or politics as they did not share a close relationship.

Ramlogan, in response to questions by Scotland, admitted that while Warner did not expressly accuse him of corruption or used the words “ill gotten means,” the meaning of what was said on the platform drew that inescapable conclusion.

He said his private law practice, prior to him taking up office as attorney general in 2010, was thriving financially. He said he did own substantial properties and rightly so but Warner’s claims were made in malice and were untrue.

During his cross-examination of the former AG, Scotland went through every paragraph of his witness statement, and asserted that his client made no direct reference to Ramlogan being corrupt and the two paragraphs complained of were taken out of a larger address as the leader of a political party, who also spoke of national and political issues.

Warner is using the principles of truth, fair comment and absolute privilege to defend the statements he made on the hustings, saying he was justified in doing so as he sought to highlight the issue. Scotland also unsuccessfully attempted to refer to Ramlogan’s resignation from Government in February, saying it went to character evidence.

But lead counsel for Ramlogan, Avory Sinanan, SC, argued that his client’s resignation had no relevance to what occurred in October 2013, when it is alleged Warner made defamatory statements during an ILP political meeting at Endeavour, Chaguanas.

Ramlogan resigned after being accused of witness tampering in a defamation lawsuit he filed against Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley. Police Complaints’ Authority director David West has alleged Ramlogan called him and sought to have him withdraw the witness statement he filed in Rowley’s defence. An investigation has since been launched by the Acting Commissioner of Police.

Sinanan reminded the court that the investigation was ongoing and Warner’s defence team could not use the allegations, which are yet to be proven, to impugn Ramlogan’s character.

Sinanan’s objection was upheld.

Earlier, in his opening address, Ramlogan’s attorney said the onus was on Warner to establish the truth of the allegations he made on the platform.

“What is set out in his defence is a far cry from what was said on the platform,” Sinanan said, adding that it was disingenuous for Warner to say he relied on what Ramlogan told him to justify what he said at the political meeting in Endeavour. “We have denied having any conversation with the defendant,” Sinanan said. He said the claim by the ILP leader was his machination drafted to enhance his political image and that of his party.

“The statements were distorted and entirely false,” he said. Sinanan contended that Warner could not use statements he alleged were told to him by Ramlogan to prove his case, but needed direct corroborating evidence.

He said the court had to pronounce on the bonafides of Warner’s defence but only if he provided credible evidence. It is the duty of the court to determine if the statements were defamatory or if any of his defences will exonerate him from culpability.

“The more serious the allegations the more cogent the evidence you have to bring to prove your statements,” Sinanan said. The trial continues today when Warner will testify after his attorney delivers his opening address. Also representing Ramlogan are Kelvin Ramkissoon, Gerald Ramdeen and Varun Debideen while Asha Watkins-Montserrin and Jacqueline Chang appear for Warner.

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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #405 on: May 06, 2015, 01:59:19 AM »
I did not trust Warner with my personal info
By Derek Achong (Guardian)


Ramlogan at defamation lawsuit:

Former attorney general Anand Ramlogan testified in court yesterday about his real estate investments, saying he bought four separate properties all funded from his private practice and all were acquired before he accepted the role as a government minister in May 2010.

Ramlogan was giving evidence in support of a defamation lawsuit he brought against his one-time Cabinet colleague Jack Warner who claimed at a public meeting that former attorney general acquired 51 properties during his tenure.

In his lengthy testimony which spanned more than five hours, Ramlogan repeatedly stated that Warner’s claims were not true.

“That is completely false I have no reason to lie. If I did I would not be here,” Ramlogan said.

Throughout the hearing before Justice Robin Mohammed, at the Hall of Justice, Port-of-Spain. Ramlogan refrained from making eye contact with Warner who was seated at the opposite end of the courtroom.

Warner resigned in April 2013 over allegations of bribery related to his role as then vice-president of Fifa. Warner went on to form a political party, the Independent Liberal Party (ILP), and retained his Chaguanas West seat in a by-election.

Ramlogan resigned in February after claims of witness tampering were made by director of the Police Complaints Authority David West. Police are still investigating that matter.

As he sought to prove Warner’s claims, which were made at a ILP public meeting in 2013 had a factual basis, his lawyer Keith Scotland alleged that Warner had obtained the information through private conversations with Ramlogan.

Ramlogan categorically denied that as he said: “We would discuss matters related to the Government and the political party. I cannot say I trusted Warner enough to discuss my personal affairs with him. That kind of relationship did not exist.”

While he admitted his client’s allegations painted Ramlogan in a negative light, Scotland claimed Warner was justified as it was made while he was commenting on issues of national importance as the leader of a “major” political party.

“I would not describe it like as that,” Ramlogan said as he joked about the size of the ILP’s support base.

Moving away from the size of Ramlogan’s alleged property portfolio described by Warner, Scotland quizzed Ramlogan on his ability to purchase the four properties which he admitted he owned in the lawsuit.

“You have acknowledged you own some substantial properties. Do you agree that you can’t afford to buy all of them on a minister’s salary?” Scotland asked.

Ramlogan said: “Collectively no but individually yes.” He then claimed that all the properties he owned were purchased before his stint as AG and using money he earned from his private legal practice.

Scotland drew an objection from Ramlogan’s legal team as he attempted to question him on allegations of witness tampering.

“That is totally irrelevant. What occurred after October 2013 has no bearing in this case. He is seeking to impugn the reputation of this man,” Senior Counsel Avory Sinanan quipped.

Justice Mohammed agreed as he barred Scotland from touching on the topic again.

Warner was expected to testify after Ramlogan but he had to leave the hearing early to attend the funeral of ILP’s Tobago regional co-ordinator Lionel Coker, who died last week.

Ramlogan is also being represented by Kelvin Ramkisson, Gerald Ramdeen and Varun Debideen.

The trial continues this morning.

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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #406 on: May 06, 2015, 02:06:21 AM »
Jack fights for ‘not’
By JADA LOUTOO
Wednesday, May 6 2015


INDEPENDENT Liberal Party (ILP) political leader Jack Warner did not defame former attorney general Anand Ramlogan when he spoke of the latter’s property investments and relationship with a British solicitor. Warner was justified when he shared the information on a political platform.

Warner is contending that when he made the comments in October 2013, it was not with the intention to harass his former Cabinet colleague, but was fair comment made in good faith without malice.

Although this is Warner’s defence on paper, he was unable to be cross-examined by Ramlogan’s lead counsel Avory Sinanan SC, yesterday. Warner spent less than five minutes after being called to the witness box; thanked presiding judge Robin Mohammed for granting him permission to attend the funeral of ILP Tobago coordinator Lionel Coker on Monday, swore on the Bible to tell the truth and said he wanted to include the word “not,” which had been omitted in paragraph 22 of his witness statement, to which Sinanan objected.

Ramlogan’s lead counsel said Warner could not now include that word and should have filed a supplemental witness statement. The former government minister sat outside the courtroom in the Port-of-Spain High Court, as attorneys for both sides argued for and against Warner being allowed to include the word “not.”

Mohammed eventually ruled that allowing Warner to make the correction would do no damage to Ramlogan’s case. “I do not think it is so grave that it cannot be corrected on cross examination,” Mohammed said, before adjourning the matter to May 26.

Warner’s attorney Keith Scotland, in his opening address, said his client would prove that he was justified when he claimed Ramlogan was the owner of 51 properties in TT and spoke of the former AG’s relationship with British solicitor Ackbar Ali on October 19, 2013, while addressing supporters at a meeting at Endeavor, Chaguanas, in the run-up to the Local Government Elections.

Scotland told the judge he must link the words complained of to the wider picture as it was only two paragraphs of an 11-page speech. Warner is using the principles of justification, fair comment and qualified privilege to defend the statements he made on the hustings, saying it was what was told to him by Ramlogan during conversations they had on two occasions.

According to Scotland, it was fair comment as there was no malice intended by the ILP leader and the words were uttered in honesty as he expressed his opinions on matters of public interest.

To further bolster his client’s defence that the words spoken were not defamatory, Scotland insisted it was covered by qualified privilege since it was said days before one of the more significant elections in TT. The former attorney general is claiming damages and exemplary damages. He is represented by Sinanan, Kelvin Ramkissoon, Gerald Ramdeen and Varun Debideen while Asha Watkins-Montserrin and Jacqueline Chang also appear for Warner.

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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #407 on: May 15, 2015, 02:08:31 AM »
EMAILS ARE FAKE
By CAROL MATROO
Friday, May 15 2015

 
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was adamant yesterday: the emails revealed to the Parliament in May 2013 by Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley, alleging that she and other Ministers including then Attorney General Anand Ramlogan had exchanges conspiring, among other things, to murder a journalist, were fake.

Therefore, Rowley was not off the hook for his actions.

And she also felt vindicated because the statement by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Joan Honore-Paul on Wednesday proved that a letter she received from the United States Justice Department pointing this out was authentic.

“I am very happy and feel vindicated by the statements made by the deputy DPP because she has confirmed that the document that appeared in the media from the US Justice Department is, in fact, an authentic document, and that document has pointed to the fact that the emails were fake. So I feel vindicated,” she said.

Honore-Paul had said in her statement Wednesday evening that police investigations had not yet resulted in any finding whether, through the Mutual Legal Assistance channels or otherwise, that the emails were or were not sent. She said to give the impression that there was some finality in this regard was misleading, particularly any exoneration of Persad- Bissessar and Ramlogan.

But the Prime Minister said yesterday afternoon,“She (Honore-Paul) does not ever say the letter does not exist. She is saying the letter is bonafide.” Persad-Bissessar spoke to the media after formally opening the Paramin RC Primary School, Maraval.

The Prime Minister said the Parliament had its job to do and as a parliamentarian, she was doing hers. She said while the police, the DPP and the Integrity Commission had their jobs to do, and they should continue so to do, she urged the police to try to complete their investigation and make the results known as soon as possible.

Making reference to the matter involving former Works Minister Sadiq Baksh in which cocaine was allegedly planted in his water tanks, Persad-Bissessar said that investigation was not yet completed.

“I got evidence which showed that the emails were fake and therefore it was my duty as a citizen of this land to provide that evidence in the place where those allegations were made, and that is in the Parliament. I feel vindicated by the DPP’s letter,” the Prime Minister said.

Persad-Bissessar said she had no problem with the investigation, and was convinced there was sufficient evidence which showed the emails were fake.

“You come to a Parliament 95 times,” the Prime Minister said. “In his contribution the Opposition Leader talked about emails, emails. Well, now 100 percent we know from evidence from third parties, not from me or Mr (Garvin) Nicholas or Dr (Tim) Gopeesingh, you know the emails are fake from evidence we brought forward into the public domain, they can continue their investigation.”

The Prime Minister added, “I have always said from the very start, I continue to say that the emails were fake. The letter from the DPP or the press release confirms that the emails were fake, so what more could I need,” she said.

Responding to Honore-Paul’s concern about how correspondence from the United States Justice Department sent to the police investigative team through the Central Authority found its way into the public domain, Persad-Bissessar said she was assured that the police and the DPP would continue to investigate the matter.

“It was a document that was within the office of the DPP,” she pointed out. “It was with the investigating police in the matter, so the effect of the letter was to raise concerns about how it became part of the public domain. The US Justice Department document by words of the DPP has confirmed that it is an authentic document from them and again the question is how did the truth come into the public domain.”

The Prime Minister said she believed the evidence they already had coming from the Supreme Court in California, IT experts, court documents from the Integrity Commission and the letter from the US Justice Department, totally showed evidence the emails were fake, which was the main issue. “Were they genuine or were they not genuine. All the evidence points very clearly they were fake,” she said.

As for Rowley’s call, in a pre-action protocol letter, for her to apologise for comments she posted on Facebook, Persad-Bissessar said she had referred the matter to her lawyers.

“It is not about asking for an apology based on the DPP’s statement, so I’ll pass that to my lawyers. I think that’s another distraction to take us away from the fact and let us stay focussed,” she said.

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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #408 on: July 31, 2015, 01:53:28 AM »
Jack to pay Anand $.9m.
By Rickie Ramdass (Express).


Blows for Jack

CORRUPTION-accused politician Jack Warner has been ordered to pay former attorney general Anand Ramlogan close to $1 million in damages after a High Court judge yesterday ruled against him in a lawsuit filed by Ramlogan for defamation of character.

Justice Robin Mohammed made the ruling at the Hall of Justice in Port of Spain saying Warner could provide no proof to back up the allegations made during an Independent Liberal Party (ILP) meeting in October 2013.

The lawsuit revolved around allegations that Ramlogan was the owner of more than 51 properties which he could not have acquired based on his salary as Attorney General.

In his 57-page ruling, Justice Mohammed said it was clear to the court Warner made the allegations in the midst of the local government election with the intention of gaining a political advantage over Ramlogan and the Government.

“Such objective of political gain ought not to have been pursued at the costs of lowering the claimant's reputation in the estimation of right-thinking members of the public, discrediting the claimant in his Office of the Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago and exposing the claimant and his family to ridicule and contempt, particularly in circumstances where the defendant showed no evidence or belief in the truth of the defamatory statements,” said the judge.

Ramlogan was awarded $600,000 in general damages inclusive of aggravated damages, $200,000 in exemplary damages and an additional $94,000 in prescribed costs—a total of $894,000.

Cost is to be assessed by the Registrar of the Supreme Court as it relates to an application made by Warner during the trial to amend his witness statement.

Warner to appeal

However, Ramlogan will not immediately be awarded the money as the court ruled that there is to be a 28-day stay of the execution of the order given that Warner, through his attorneys, signalled his intention to appeal the order.

Following the judgment, Ramlogan told reporters he felt vindicated by the judge's decision.

“Mr Warner had made some very outrageous and malicious accusations against me that I was the owner of over 51 properties and with a hint of corruption. I do not own anything near that and of course I was very outraged by his statements and the fact that he could have gone so far to make it on a political platform in the height of an election campaign,” said Ramlogan.

He said Warner, who was not present during the hearing, has made a trademark of himself in politics by making malicious and scandalous accusations against individuals without any evidence to back up his claims.

“I see he is doing the same thing with the honourable Prime Minister now and when the time comes to produce the evidence to back it up, what he does is cry wolf and run away. His day will come in judgment, not just in my matter, but in many others against who he has made the most scandalous accusations without a shred of evidence and today is just one of many judgments to come against him,” he said.

Ramlogan further added that if Warner does in fact appeal the judge's decision, he (Ramlogan) will cross appeal with the argument that the amount awarded to him should have been greater.

He said if Warner intends to appeal the matter he should also pay the sum ordered by Justice Mohammed into the court “given the limited duration of time he might have left in Trinidad and Tobago.”

Good friends for 20 years

During the trial, Warner testified that from as early as 2010 he had knowledge of Ramlogan being involved in wrongdoing by using his office for personal gain. Despite this, Warner said he never brought the information into the public domain given that both of them were Cabinet colleagues.

In his defence, Warner testified that it was Ramlogan himself who provided him with the information of the properties he owned and that he was simply repeating on the political platform what was said to him by Ramlogan while they were in Government together in 2010 and 2012.

He had further pointed out that he and Ramlogan were “good friends” for the past 20 years and whatever was said by him against Ramlogan during political campaigns in 2013 was strictly politics and was not meant to be an attack on Ramlogan's character or reputation.

Ramlogan denies owning the properties

Ramlogan however, denied being the owner of the properties and testified that even though he and Warner were Cabinet colleagues and would have discussed issues of national importance, he never trusted Warner to confide in him concerning his personal business.

Ramlogan had contended that the statements made by Warner generated harsh comments from members of society, some of which branded him “as corrupt and a thief”.

He said the statements were often a topic of discussion in his family, among professionals and even among distinguished jurists regionally with whom he had to interact in his capacity as Attorney General. He had further expressed his feelings of distress and embarrassment which were caused to him in the midst of the defamatory words which often in conversations called on him to defend his name.

Representing Ramlogan in the lawsuit were attorneys Avory Sinanan, SC, Gerald Ramdeen, Kelvin Ramkissoon and Varun Dabideen, while Keith Scotland, Asha Watkins-Montserin and Jacqueline Chang appeared for Warner.

Calls to Warner's cellphone for comment on the court's ruling yesterday evening were unsuccessful as all calls went unanswered.

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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #409 on: May 04, 2019, 05:04:46 AM »
Ramlogan, Ramdeen charged after 3 days in custody.
By Derek Achong (Guardian).


Af­ter spend­ing close to three days in cus­tody, for­mer at­tor­ney gen­er­al Anand Ram­lo­gan, SC and UNC Sen­a­tor Ger­ald Ramdeen were last night charged over their al­leged roles in a mul­ti-mil­lion le­gal fee kick­back con­spir­a­cy.

Sources close to the in­ves­ti­ga­tion said Ram­lo­gan and Ramdeen were charged with con­spir­ing to en­gage in mon­ey laun­der­ing, cor­rup­tion and mis­be­hav­iour in pub­lic of­fice. Sim­i­lar charges were laid against the State’s co­op­er­at­ing wit­ness British Queen’s Coun­sel Vin­cent Nel­son on Wednes­day. Nel­son has signed a plea agree­ment with the State to tes­ti­fy against Ram­lo­gan and Ramdeen.

De­tec­tives as­signed to the An­ti-Cor­rup­tion In­ves­ti­ga­tion Bu­reau (ACIB) were hop­ing to com­plete their in­ves­ti­ga­tion on Thurs­day night to al­low both men to ap­pear in court to an­swer the charges yes­ter­day morn­ing. How­ev­er, their plans were de­railed af­ter both Ram­lo­gan and Ramdeen com­plained of feel­ing un­well at dif­fer­ent times be­tween Thurs­day night and yes­ter­day morn­ing and had to be tak­en sep­a­rate­ly to the Port-of-Spain Gen­er­al Hos­pi­tal for treat­ment.

The change of plans meant that by the time the men were of­fi­cial­ly charged late last night, they would have had to spend the week­end in po­lice cus­tody un­til they could ap­pear be­fore a mag­is­trate on Mon­day morn­ing.

Guardian Me­dia un­der­stands that the duo’s le­gal team was ex­pect­ed to ask se­nior of­fi­cers with­in the unit if their clients could be grant­ed sta­tion bail, which would al­low them to be re­leased be­fore Mon­day’s hear­ing.

Sta­tion bail is usu­al­ly grant­ed to per­sons charged with non-vi­o­lent crimes dur­ing week­ends. It is al­lowed at the dis­cre­tion of the po­lice and is ap­proved by a Jus­tice of the Peace.

While the po­lice in­ves­ti­ga­tion in­to the con­spir­a­cy start­ed al­most three years ago, it reached a crit­i­cal stage on Wednes­day morn­ing af­ter in­ves­ti­ga­tors ex­e­cut­ed an ar­rest war­rant for Ram­lo­gan at the Pi­ar­co In­ter­na­tion­al Air­port around 4.15 am. Ram­lo­gan was about to board a flight to Mi­a­mi to con­nect to the British Vir­gin Is­lands (BVI), where he was ex­pect­ed to rep­re­sent the Speak­er of BVI’s House As­sem­bly Ju­lian Wilcox. Ramdeen sur­ren­dered to in­ves­ti­ga­tors two hours lat­er.

On Wednes­day evening, po­lice ex­e­cut­ed search war­rants at the duo’s homes in south Trinidad and at Ramdeen’s of­fice at Cor­ne­lio Street, Wood­brook. Dur­ing the search­es, which last­ed well in­to the night, in­ves­ti­ga­tors re­port­ed­ly seized sev­er­al elec­tron­ic de­vices and doc­u­ments.

De­tec­tives at­tempt­ed to in­ter­view both men on Thurs­day evening but had to cut Ram­lo­gan’s in­ter­view short af­ter he com­plained of feel­ing un­well and had to be tak­en for treat­ment. Ram­lo­gan’s in­ter­view re­sumed around mid­day yes­ter­day and was com­plet­ed sev­er­al hours lat­er.

Ramdeen’s in­ter­view was re­port­ed­ly com­plet­ed on Thurs­day but he com­plained of feel­ing un­well while Ram­lo­gan was be­ing in­ter­viewed. Guardian Me­dia un­der­stands that doc­tors at the Port-of-Spain Gen­er­al Hos­pi­tal di­ag­nosed that he was suf­fer­ing from de­hy­dra­tion and kept him for sev­er­al hours as they ad­min­is­tered in­tra­venous flu­ids and Panadol.

Around 5 pm, Ramdeen was cleared by doc­tors and tak­en back in­to po­lice cus­tody. Ramdeen’s lawyers al­so threat­ened to file a habeas cor­pus writ chal­leng­ing his de­ten­tion for 48 hours with­out be­ing charged yes­ter­day morn­ing but did not go through with it af­ter he was hos­pi­talised.

Sources said short­ly af­ter 6 pm in­ves­ti­ga­tors put the fin­ish­ing touch­es on the file and sought ad­vice from Di­rec­tor of Pub­lic Pros­e­cu­tions (DPP) Roger Gas­pard, SC, who kept his of­fice open in an­tic­i­pa­tion of a late vis­it.

About the In­ves­ti­ga­tion

The in­ves­ti­ga­tion cen­tres around al­most $1 bil­lion in le­gal fees which was paid to pri­vate le­gal prac­ti­tion­ers rep­re­sent­ing the state and state com­pa­nies in le­gal pro­ceed­ings dur­ing Ram­lo­gan’s tenure be­tween 2010 and 2015.

The law­suits in­clud­ed sev­er­al over al­leged cor­rup­tion which oc­curred un­der the pre­vi­ous Patrick Man­ning regime.

It is al­leged that a per­cent­age of the fees, which were paid through the Of­fice of the At­tor­ney Gen­er­al to the lawyers, was al­leged­ly giv­en back to Ram­lo­gan.

On Thurs­day, British Queen’s Coun­sel Vin­cent Nel­son, who has Ja­maican roots, ap­peared in court to an­swer three con­spir­a­cy charges over his role. Nel­son is ac­cused of con­spir­ing with Ram­lo­gan and Ramdeen to re­ceive, con­ceal and trans­fer crim­i­nal prop­er­ty, name­ly the re­wards giv­en to Ram­lo­gan by Nel­son for be­ing ap­point­ed to rep­re­sent the State in sev­er­al cas­es; of con­spir­ing with them to cor­rupt­ly give Ram­lo­gan a per­cent­age of the funds and of con­spir­ing with them to make Ram­lo­gan mis­be­have in pub­lic of­fice by re­ceiv­ing the funds.

Nel­son, who ben­e­fit­ed from over $20 mil­lion in le­gal briefs, has signed a plea bar­gain agree­ment, un­der which he is ex­pect­ed to tes­ti­fy against the duo in ex­change for im­mu­ni­ty or a re­duced sen­tence. He has been re­leased on $100,000 bail and al­lowed to leave the coun­try for med­ical treat­ment. His lawyers al­so claimed that his safe­ty would be at risk.

Nel­son is sched­uled to re­turn to Trinidad lat­er this month or ear­ly next month for his plea as­sess­ment hear­ing be­fore a High Court Judge.

Guardian Me­dia un­der­stands that the probe may ex­tend to oth­er lawyers, both lo­cal and in­ter­na­tion­al, who would have re­ceived State briefs un­der Ram­lo­gan’s tenure.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline maxg

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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #410 on: December 31, 2019, 11:02:25 PM »
So what was the final conclusion to the above story ? Swept under the rug ? Drinks all around ? What ?

Offline asylumseeker

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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #411 on: January 01, 2020, 08:37:11 AM »
So what was the final conclusion to the above story ? Swept under the rug ? Drinks all around ? What ?

Probably busy trying to message Carlos Ghosn. Then again, it's T&T: no need to scurry away under cover of day or night.

Offline maxg

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Re: Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Thread
« Reply #412 on: January 02, 2020, 12:37:44 AM »
So what was the final conclusion to the above story ? Swept under the rug ? Drinks all around ? What ?

Probably busy trying to message Carlos Ghosn. Then again, it's T&T: no need to scurry away under cover of day or night.
Ah feeling ah feeling, everything just working out...there came the pastor with 29 Million, and the barber with ONLY 1. Everybody have a buddy they does straighten out and legally pass the dunzei. Al Capone is boo to we Leaders. Ah still wondering where the money in the backseat of the car come and gone, not a word of retribution or condonation ...all is forgotten, like ah beats on the field if yuh team lorse..them players got game...small man killing each other in frustration and ignorance.

Jack agrees to pay Anand.
By Jada Loutoo (Newsday).


FORMER Independent Liberal Party (ILP) leader Jack Warner has agreed to pay a portion of the sum he was ordered to pay to compensate former attorney general Anand Ramlogan in 2015.

Warner also agreed to withdraw his appeal of Justice Robin Mohammed’s ruling.

Hearing of the appeal came up before Justices Allan Mendonca, Alice Yorke-Soo Hon, and Prakash Moosai yesterday and attorneys for both men said they had entered into a consent order.

As part of the compromise, Ramlogan agreed to waive part of the judgment sum, which had amounted to close to $900,000. This brought an end to the lawsuit.

In his ruling, Mohammed held that Warner had defamed his former cabinet colleague in a speech in October 2013.

Speaking on an ILP platform in the run-up to the local government elections, Warner claimed Ramlogan owned 51 properties bought by corrupt means during his tenure as AG.

Warner was ordered to pay $600,000 in general and aggravated damages and $200,000 in exemplary damages. The costs of the defamation claim were quantified at $94,000.

Warner was represented by Asha Watkins-Monteserin. Ganesh Saroop appeared for Ramlogan.




 

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