| 10 defendants ordered to stand trial | | Print | |
| Written by Richard Green/richard@fptci.com | |||
| Thursday, 26 April 2012 09:35 | |||
|
Ten people charged with corruption offenses by the Special Investigation and Prosecution Team have been ordered to stand trial while three more await a hearing May 15 to determine their fate. Supreme Court Justice Margaret Ramsay-Hale ruled April 20 that SIPT has enough evidence to proceed with trials of Lisa Hall, former ministers Lillian Boyce and Samuel Been on charges of conspiracy to defraud the government, and Quentin Hall and Earlson Robinson on charges of accepting proceeds of a crime. The justice ruled April 24 that attorney and Progressive National Party Leader Clayton Greene must stand trial on charges of money laundering. On April 17, four defendants did not contest that SIPT had enough evidence to proceed with trials — former government ministers Floyd Hall and Jeffery Hall for conspiracy to defraud the government, and developers Richard Padgett and Jak Civre for bribery. Three others will have to present their cases to the justice on May 15, including former premier Michael Misick’s brother, attorney Chal Misick, and attorney Melbourne Wilson for money laundering; and former minister McAllister Hanchell for conspiracy to commit bribery. Those three were granted extra time to obtain lawyers to defend them. The sufficiency hearings were open to the public and the news media, but Turks and Caicos Islands law forbids publication of all but the outcome of the hearings. None of the evidence discussed can be published, but prosecutors have said in previous hearings that the charges involve fraudulent Crown land transactions, money laundering and bribery. Ramsay-Hale’s April 20 order set dates in June and July for prosecutors and defendants to submit arguments on various matters, including the prosecutors’ request that defendants be tried by a judge without a jury. The Constitution which has been suspended since August 2009 but will soon be replaced by a new document had guaranteed the right to criminal trials by jury in the Supreme Court, but no one has been denied that right so far. Criminal defendants had the right to request a trial by a judge alone, but a bill passed in November 2010 gave that option to prosecutors as well, which is similar to the law in the U.K. Under the new law, a judge would make the decision if a trial would be held without a jury, but that ruling can be appealed to a three-judge Court of Appeal. The judge who makes the ruling then would not be the judge who tries the case. Former Premier Michael Misick has not been charged with any crimes, but he has refused to report to SIPT for questioning. An Interpol notice has been issued for his arrest, but Misick says he is seeking asylum in an undisclosed country to escape political persecution. He has called on the U.N. commissioner of human rights to intervene in his case, claiming violations by the U.K. and the interim TCI government that suspended elected government and took control of the country in 2009. Click here to read the April 20 order Click here to read the April 24 order
|
Related Articles
Entertainment: Your Island Guide
|
Top things to do in April Top things to do in April 1. From Golfing to More... |
|
Valentine’s Day Cup 2013 model sailboat races The Middle Caicos Sailboat Association will once again present the annual model sailboat races at More... |
|
Lime and Tourist Board announce weekly Fish Fry The Turks & Caicos Tourist Board & LIME partner with Cultural Fish Fry The Turks & Caicos Tourist More... |
|
Turks & Caicos Reef Fun to host dazzling evening The Turks and Caicos Reef Fund will host its 2nd Annual Cocktail Party Reception on Jan. 26 at the More... |
|
Fashion Glam at Regent Palms The Regent Palms is inviting everyone to an evening of fashion and glamour at their event being More... |
Latest Community News
|
Cholera Clinical Management Training Held in the TCI Healthcare professionals from the TCI Health Services were trained in the Clinical Management of More... |
|
Illegal Haitian immigrants Intercepted Illegal Haitian Immigrants Intercepted, to the Repatriated According to the Ministry of Border More... |
|
Ministry of Health Reminding public about sanitation Health surveillance teams attached to the Ministry of Health and Human Services (MOHHS) have More... |
|
Scholarship applications now being accepted The Ministry of Education has announced that they are now accepting applications for scholarships More... |
|
History and traditions stay alive at the 13th annual boat races in Middle Caicos The 2013 Valentines Day Cup welcomed many fun loving residents and tourists to Middle Caicos’ More... |