NRI
Former Trinidad and Tobago Attorney General Anand Ramlogan Granted Bail
The detention and arrest of Ramlogan has come under fire from several politicians.
Anand Ramlogan, the former Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago, has been granted bail in a two-year-old case where the charges against him –misbehaviour in public office and obstruction of justice– were named recently. The charges were first made against him in a report made by David West, the director of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA), to the Commissioner of Police on January 28, 2015.
According to the allegations made by West, Ramlogan had asked him to withdraw as a witness in a matter involving the then-opposition leader, and current Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley in exchange for him being selected as the PCA director. The case was the defamation lawsuit that Ramlogan had filed against Rowley for comments made about Section 34 and extradition proceedings involving businessmen Ishwar Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson. Ramlogan denied these allegations.
After the story broke, former Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar revoked Ramlogan’s appointment. Ramlogan served as the attorney general from May 28, 2010 to February 2, 2015.
Ramlogan’s attorney, Senior Counsel Pamela Elder, was quoted as telling the media: “My client, as you all know, has been the former attorney general who has served this country with distinction and is of unblemished character.”
Ramlogan was arrested on August 29. After over 36 hours in custody, he was seen in a black Toyota Fortuner motor vehicle driving out of the Port of Spain Central Police Station. He did not stop to address the media, which had been outside the police station all day, according to Trinidad Express. He was granted bail of the sum of $750,000. The bail was signed by veteran Justice of the Peace Ackbar Khan, who visited the police station.
The detention of Ramlogan came under fire from several members of Parliament. “He is extremely strong,” Dr Roodal Moonilal, the Member of Parliament of Oropouche East, said in a telephone interview to Trinidad and Tobago Express. “He is a very, very courageous attorney at law and he is very strong and sharp. And I expect that he will be vindicated in the course of time and I have every confidence in his innocence.”
Devant Maharaj, former Minister of Food Production, sent out a press release condemning the treatment meted out by law enforcement authorities to Ramlogan. He stated: “Since 6 a.m. Tuesday 29th August to now the man who has perhaps fought more constitutional cases in the courts of Trinidad and Tobago protecting the rights of citizens, often times pro bono, has been in detention by the Police for a conversation three years ago which he categorically denied having. A battery of police sneaked up on the residence of Attorney Anand Ramlogan as if this officer of the court was a fugitive from justice; despite the fact that only weeks ago Anand asserted publicly that he was available for questioning if asked. Ten police vehicles descended on the Palmiste residence of Anand Ramlogan compared to when an ordinary man is often told that there is no vehicles to attend to any complaints. Why then all the drama ? Why now ?”
In response, the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago issued a statement on August 31: “The Law Association once again reminds the public of the importance of the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. This principle applies just as much to the former attorney general, Anand Ramlogan, SC. We therefore caution members of the public to reserve comment until after a court of law has pronounced.”
Anand Ramlogan, whose ancestors left India to work in the sugarcane plantations in the West Indies, returned to private law practice after being asked by the then Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar to resign from the post of Attorney General.
