Naeem Ali, Managing director of the Namalco Group of Companies, has been acquitted of all criminal charges stemming from an incident in Penal more than five years ago.
Ali was cleared of all charges in the Siparia District Court, where acting Senior Magistrate Erica Baptiste-Ramkissoon upheld a no-case submission made by his attorneys at the close of the prosecution’s case on Tuesday.
Ali was charged on July 1, 2020, with driving under the influence, resisting arrest and several charges of assaulting police officers. The charges arose out of an incident along Suchit Trace, Penal, during a police patrol.
According to a statement issued at the time by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), officers on mobile patrol saw a grey Nissan Frontier overtaking a line of vehicles at high speed. The vehicle was stopped a short distance away, and officers reported detecting a strong scent of alcohol.
Police said the driver was informed of their intention to conduct a breathalyser test, but he allegedly attempted to evade the test and assaulted two officers during the encounter.
Ali was arrested and taken to the Penal Police Station, where it was alleged that he later failed a breathalyser test. He was charged and granted bail in the sum of $50,000.
Ali was represented by Pamela Elder SC and attorney Owen Hinds.
Following the close of the prosecution’s case, the defence submitted that there was no case for Ali to answer. The Magistrate agreed, dismissing all the charges against him.
Francis Joseph
