Two Trinidadian billionaires, who have been fighting extradition for the past three years, won their appeal in the Trinidad and Tobago Court of Appeal when the court ordered a stay of the extradition order and ruled that the attorney general’s extradition decision be reviewed by a High Court judge,
The Trinidad Guardian newspaper reported that attorneys for the attorney general served notice of appeal, to challenge the decision at the Judicial Committee of the London Privy Council. This means that this aspect of the matter will have yet another prolonged delay since extradition proceedings started more than three years ago.
Appellate Court Judge Wendell Kangaloo was critical of Justice Joan Charles’ handling of the application for judicial review. He suggested that it was hurried and decided without careful consideration, especially as it was arguable whether the attorney general had acted irrationally.
Attorney General Anand Ramlogan signed an order about two months ago extraditing the two wealthy businessmen, who sources say financed the United National Congress (UNC) party led by Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar.
The two men are wanted in the United States to face several charges of fraud and money laundering totalling millions of dollars, arising out of the billion dollar Piarco Airport scandal.
They were charged with six other Americans, who have already been jailed, for a series of offences two years ago.
Immediately after the appellate court ruled in favour of the two men, their attorneys filed an application for bail, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the request, stating that they had no jurisdiction to hear such an application. The lawyers will no doubt file their application and seek a hearing before a High Court judge.
