(Trinidad Guardian) Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher has ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the arrest of firearms dealer Brent Thomas.
This is the ninth probe initiated by the CoP since taking office in February this year.
In a brief statement yesterday, Harewood-Christopher said she noted with concern the judgment of Justice Devindra Rampersad dated April 25, 2023, and has ordered an investigation based on the issues raised.
In his ruling, the High Court Judge deemed the actions of the T&T Police Service (TTPS) officers “illegal” in their handling of Thomas.
The Court heard that on October 5, Thomas, 61, owner of Specialist Shooters Training Centre Ltd, was arrested by heavily armed Barbados police at his hotel room.
Thomas was briefly detained before being transported to the Grantley Adams International Airport, where he was handed over to TTPS officers.
Thomas was returned to this country via a Regional Security System (RSS) aircraft and was charged by police with seven firearm offences under corresponding arrest warrants.
But in his ruling last Tuesday on a constitutional matter brought against the State by Thomas, Justice Rampersad said that Thomas was “unlawfully abducted” in Barbados. He suggested that the manner of Thomas’ detention showed a clear attempt to bypass the lawful procedure of requesting his extradition.
But for her part, Commissioner Harewood-Christopher said she had been duly informed that steps are being taken to appeal the judgment and as such, “is constrained in giving any further information on the matter at this time.”
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said he was not aware of what took place and called for answers from Harewood-Christopher.
In its own statement yesterday, the Law Association of T&T (LATT) joined other members of civil society in expressing deep concerns over the matters brought to light in the recent judgment of the High Court in the Thomas case.
“The Court found, and the State appears not to have disputed, that Mr Thomas, who is not accused of committing any offence in Barbados, was arrested by members of the Barbados Police Service at a time when he had lawfully entered that country and was then delivered up to members of the T&T Police Force at the Grantley Adams International Airport.
“On any account, this constitutes the unlawful abduction of a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago from a friendly neighbouring state in violation of the Extradition laws of that country. That much has been admitted by the State,” LATT said.
LATT, therefore, welcomed and applauded the decision of the Police Complaints Authority to investigate the circumstances in which Thomas was taken into custody by the TTPS.
It said given that Attorney General Reginald Armour SC is reported to have appealed the decision of the High Court in relation to its other findings, it is refraining from making any further comment on the case.
Meanwhile, Police Complaints Authority director David West said they were still in the preliminary stages of their investigation into the matter and had not interviewed anyone yet.
Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions George Busby, now a High Court Judge, was contacted on the matter but declined to comment. He was said to have been advising the police in their investigation into Thomas at the time.
When the matter transpired in 2021, McDonald Jacob was Acting Police Commissioner. Guardian Media reached out to him yesterday, but he too reserved comment.
“This matter is subjudice and there is a high likelihood from the information that the matter might reach to the Appeal Court, so I prefer not to comment on it. I am no longer a police officer. However, I am a citizen of T&T and I have a responsibility in relation to the rule of law and procedural justice.”
Another former Acting CoP, Stephen Williams, also opted not to comment.
“This matter every day has become political, not even legal or judicial, it has become political; so there are some things out in the public domain, which are correct, some that are incorrect but I would not be the one to comment at this point in time,” he said.
But former CoP Gary Griffith said, “No commissioner of police in Trinidad and Tobago has the authorisation to allow any police officer to leave this country and to go out of our waters without the approval of the Government.”
Griffith’s comment follows Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s claim that the Government had no knowledge of what transpired with Thomas.
Guardian Media also reached out to the RSS to find out why and how its aircraft was used in transporting Thomas from Barbados to T&T.
T&T is not a member state of the RSS.
However, a woman who answered the call indicated that there is “no response from the RSS, that is a legal matter.”
She then hung up the phone.
