PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad– Chief Magistrate Maria Busby Earle-Caddle, Monday adjourned to January next year the case against the former attorney general, Anand Ramlogan, SC, who was charged in 2017 with misbehavior in public office and obstruction of justice.
During the virtual hearing, the magistrate ruled that a status hearing would be held on January 9, 2023, with the delay due to Ramlogan filing a constitutional matter in July this year when he had been expected to have gone on trial.
Former attorney general Anand Ralmogan (File photo)
In his constitutional matter, Ramlogan, who served as attorney general here from 2010-15, argues that the police wrongfully used the warrant process and that the judge who signed off on interception orders did so based on apparent bias.
When the matter came up for hearing on Monday, the court was told that the constitutional case had been adjourned to November 4. At that time, Justice Nadia Kangaroo is expected to give further directions for a full hearing.
Although the attorneys for Ramlogan and the state asked for a November or December date for the status hearing, the Chief Magistrate adjourned the matter to January 9, saying that the only “bugbear” delaying the start of the case before she was the High Court matter, since the prosecution has already filed everything.
The case against Ramlogan centers on an allegation by the director of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA), David West, that Ramlogan had approached him to withdraw his witness statement in a defamation case against then Opposition Leader Dr. Keith Rowley in 2014.
Ramlogan is accused of obstructing justice by using threats and bribery to persuade West not to give evidence in Ramlogan’s defamation case against Rowley. He is also accused of misbehaving in public office by improperly trying to prevent West’s testifying on Rowley’s behalf.
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