Warner Group of Companies lose in the Privy Council
By FRANCIS JOSEPH
The Allan Warner-owned Warner Group of Companies have lost their bid to file an appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
On March 2, the British Judges – Lord Reed, Lord Leggatt and Lord Doherty – stated, “The appeal does not raise an arguable point of law of general public importance which the Judicial Committee ought to hear at this time.”
The appellants were : Warns Quarry Company Limited, Warner Construction and Sanitation Limited, Inez Investments Limited, Pres-T-Con 2021 Limited, Allcrete Limited, as well as employees Aluko Ato Warner, Robert Wilson, Ruben Mapangala, Ricky Joseph, Corey Charles, Deon George, Shastri Madhoo, Kimal Williams, Willinsque Tobias, Rudy Sahai, Aaron Neptune and Ahmed David.
The respondent in the case was the Attorney General.
So what was the issue?
Q: Did the trial judge err by granting the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) permission to file and serve a witness summary?
The Facts
On the 2nd of December 2023, officers of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service entered lands known as Five Acres, Vega de Oropouche, Sangre Grande. Four of the Appellants, namely Willinsque Tobias, Rudy Sahai, Aaron Neptune and Ahmeed David, were arrested and charged under section 25(b) of the State Lands Act and various machinery was seized.
Following a search of the properties of Warns Quarry Company Limited and Warner Construction and Sanitation Limited on the 2nd May 2024, police officers detained and later charged eight people and took possession of various vehicles and equipment.
On the 6th of May 2024, police officers entered the properties of Warner Construction and Pres T-Con 2021 Limited and seized a number of documents. The Appellants filed a claim against the Attorney General and the Director of Public Prosecutions alleging a breach of the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago.
At the hearing of the case management conference on the 11th of November 2024, Justice Frank Seepersad granted the AG and DPP’s application for permission to file and serve a witness summary in respect of Maurice Winshart.
The Court of Appeal in Trinidad and Tobago dismissed the appellants’ appeal. The appellants then turned to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. That permission to appeal has been turned down and the illegal quarrying case proceeds in Trinidad.
