Jamaica-born attorney seeking multi-million dollar settlement

PORT-OF-SPAIN (CMC):

CONVICTED JAMAICA-BORN King’s Counsel, Vincent Nelson, is seeking TT$96 million (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cent) in his civil claim for compensation for an alleged breach of an indemnity agreement to protect him from prosecution.

Nelson filed the claim alleging breach of an indemnity agreement with the Trinidad and Tobago government to protect him from criminal prosecution and possible proceedings outside Trinidad and Tobago in exchange for a statement alleging a legal-fees kickback scheme with former attorney general Anand Ramlogan SC and former opposition legislator and attorney, Gerald Ramdeen.

Ramlogan was accused of receiving payment from Nelson after the Office of the Attorney General awarded him a number of state briefs, while Ramdeen was alleged to have facilitated the payments from Nelson to Ramlogan.

Nelson was convicted in 2019 and sentenced in March 2020 on charges of conspiracy to commit an act of corruption and money laundering. Nelson was fined TT$250,000 and was given two months, starting at the end of April 2020, in which to pay or serve three years of hard labour.

On t he money-laundering charge, he was fined two million dollars, which was to be paid in 10 instalments, or serve five years’ hard labour. He was also put on a TT$250,000 bond for three years.

Nelson is yet to pay any of the fines and has asked that the State indemnify him.

Justice Jacqueline Wilson is presiding over the two-day civil trial that is being held both virtually and in person and in camera.

In response to Nelson’s claim, the attorney general also filed a counter-claim seeking to have every cent paid to him returned to the State. A civil claim against Ramlogan and Ramdeen also seeks the same repayment.

At least t wo government ministers – former attorney general Faris Al-Rawi and Energy Minister Stuart Young – as well as a United Kingdom expert on professional conduct and disciplinary matters involving attorneys, are expected to testify for the State during the trial.