Dates have been set for the trial of a defamation lawsuit brought by former attorney general Anand Ramlogan against Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley.
During a brief pre-trial review hearing in the Port-of-Spain High Court yesterday morning attorneys representing both men chose July 19 and 20 next year for the trial.
The lawsuit, one of six filed by Ramlogan against Rowley during his stint as Opposition Leader, centres around Rowley’s allegation that Ramlogan used his former position to obtain information from the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). High Court judge Joan Charles will preside over the case.
Usually litigants are required to attended the trial of their lawsuits. However, Rowley may be allowed to be represented through his lawyers in the event that Ramlogan’s legal team choses to not cross-examine him.
Another defamation lawsuit brought by Ramlogan is the subject of a police investigation after Rowley’s witness, Police Complaints Authority (PCA) director David West, claimed he was inappropriately approached by Ramlogan over his involvement in the case. That investigation for allegedly perverting the course of justice is still ongoing.
The lawsuit, which is yet to go to trial, stemmed from Rowley’s comments over Ramlogan’s handling of the extradition of businessmen Ishwar Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson.
Meanwhile, Ramlogan will have to wait a while longer before he can claim his almost $1 million in compensation from former Independent Liberal Party (ILP) leader Jack Warner for defamation.
Warner yesterday obtained a stay of the judgment of High Court Judge Robin Mohammed, who ruled in July that Warner defamed Ramlogan when he accused him of acquiring a large portfolio of properties by corrupt means during his tenure as AG.
While appellate judge Alice Yorke-Soo Hon put a freeze on Ramlogan’s ability to enforce the judgment, Warner was also ordered to deposit the substantial damages ordered by Mohammed into the court by Monday morning.
Ramlogan had made a request for the funds to be secured by the court because of Warner’s ongoing United States (US) extradition proceedings related to alleged corruption and money laundering during his almost two decades as a Fifa vice-president.
The stay will expire upon the determination of Warner’s substantive appeal against Mohammed’ judgment. A date is yet to be set for the hearing of the appeal.
Warner was represented yesterday by former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, SC, Keith Scotland and Asha Watkins-Montserin, while Senior Counsel Avory Sinanan appeared for Ramlogan.