(Trinidad Express) President of the Criminal Bar Association Israel Khan says the Government should hire foreign lawyers to prosecute gang leaders in Trinidad and Tobago because, at present, locals do not want the job-not even he.
Speaking to the Express by phone yesterday, Khan said the assassination of special prosecutor Randall Hector has caused deep fears and concerns among the legal fraternity.
‘I am telling you as head of the Criminal Bar, no private practitioner outside the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) is going to accept a brief or a fiat to prosecute any high-powered criminal in this country, including myself. I have done enough for this country in relation to that and received no rewards or protection, and they allow the state of the country to fall like this,’ he said.
He recalled that he had warned that this country would descend like Haiti, where gangsters would have control if action were not taken.
‘In Colombia, they are killing prosecutors and judges. What will happen in Trinidad and Tobago? To ensure there is justice, the Government will have to spend millions of dollars to bring in foreign prosecutors from England or somewhere, so they can come to Trinidad to prosecute, and when they finish, they jump on a plane and leave. That is the only way because no local person would want to prosecute those criminals now,’ he said.
Khan said further that Hector’s assassination substantiated the DPP’s concerns about moving into a building at 15-17 Park Street.
‘The country should understand why the DPP refused to go into that building because Special Branch had told him that he could be assassinated with a high-powered rifle,’ he said, noting that the DPP stood his ground.
The Government had spent some $55.5 million on rent for the Park Street building before terminating the lease in September 2023.
The DPP had refused to occupy the building following a report from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) Special Branch, which found that the location of the building and its proximity to the East Dry River made it a ‘high-risk’ threat to the DPP and his staff.
Khan said prosecutors are at risk, and he warned that even judges could be targeted. He explained this is why he objected to judge-alone trials, as they place a judge in danger as well as their family. Judge-alone trials, he said, would place judges at risk and also expose them to bribery.
‘The Attorney General made a lot of noise and called on the Law Association to reprimand me for saying that, and I said I am not apologising for my comments,’ he recalled.
Khan said at times he had prosecuted matters for the DPP and had met attorneys who told him they were afraid to prosecute certain matters, placing their lives on the line as they were already underpaid.
He also noted this country’s history has shown that Dana Seetahal, SC, was assassinated, as well as Selwyn Richardson, a former attorney general and national security minister.
Khan criticised the Government for its lack of preparation in declaring the state of emergency, as he the regulations were not ready, and criminals were given a headsup to hide their weapons.
He also rubbished Police Commissioner Erla Christopher’s claim that the police are facing difficulty because there is a high evidence threshold to prosecute.
Khan said, ‘She is talking nonsense. Once there is evidence to make out a prima facie case, that is sufficient to prosecute. Then a jury will decide whether they accept that evidence beyond all reasonable doubt. It is not higher than in murder or kidnapping for ransom. What they have to do is gather the information on these criminal activities.’