Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi is expected to announce today his decision on the extradition request from the United States for Jack Warner to face trial on a series of criminal charges related to his tenure as Fifa vice president.
Last Wednesday, Al-Rawi had requested Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayres-Caesar to vary her order that the authority to proceed from September 16 to today to allow him more time to review the extradition documents.
Al-Rawi assumed office on September 9, and among the first matters he addressed was the Warner extradition file.
Warner is among 14 former and current international football officials facing a series of criminal charges in the US including wire fraud, racketeering, money laundering among other offences related to his tenure as a Fifa vice president.
Last Friday, the Attorney General axed six state attorneys retained by former attorney general Garvin Nicholas to deal with the extradition matter of the former government minister and Fifa vice-president.
The legal team assembled by Nicholas included James Lewis QC; Allan Newman, QC; Pamela Elder SC; Israel Khan, SC; Gerald Ramdeen; Jagdeo Singh; Wayne Sturge; and Brent Hallpike. Lewis and Elder were retained by the State.
“I am resolute that the Office of the Attorney General must act within the constitutional and statutory remit. I will not be speaking of state matters,” Al-Rawi said.
Al-Rawi, the Guardian understands, is looking to hand over the case to lawyers already working under the remit of the AG’s office, instead of contracted lawyers who are paid separately from the Office of the AG.
It has been reported that the local lawyers have already invoiced the State for $12 million.
Warner is scheduled to reappear before Ayres-Caesar this morning.