The Trinidad Express is suggesting that the legal officer whose "mistake" Attorney General John Jeremie said could cost the state $1 billion is former Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Geoffrey Henderson.
Jeremie spoke about a chief legal officer when he addressed the Senate Wednesday to defend the veto powers of the prime minister in the appointment of people to high offices, such as the DPP.
He said the officer disregarded an opinion from a Queen's Counsel, advising on the laying of charges against certain prominent persons but did not name the person.
However he spoke about "the holder of the chief legal offices, that is the Solicitor General, the Chief Parliamentary Counsel (CPC) and the Director of Public Prosecutions, were designated Chief Legal Officers pursuant to Section 12 of the Judicial and Legal Services Act".
This is what he said: "...in my time as Attorney General, I have encountered a Chief Legal Officer who disregarded an opinion done by a Queen's Counsel retained by him. The opinion advised on the laying of a criminal charge in respect of prominent persons in the society".
The DPP is the only one of the three legal officer to whom he referred who has the authority to begin prosecutions.
The Express said what also makes it clear that Jeremie was speaking about Henderson is that he referred to the legal officer as "HE". At the time, the Solicitor General was Lynette Stephenson as was the other most senior person in the department, Carol Hernandez. The Chief Parliamentary Counsel was Claire Blake, the paper noted.
In May, the Express published correspondence between Jeremie and Henderson in which Jeremie chastised Henderson for not laying charges against certain prominent persons, namely former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday and businessman Lawrence Duprey.
Read the story: Jeremie tried to force DPP to charge Panday, Duprey
The Express report says the billion-dollar cost is related to the State intervention in the CL financial bailout.
Jeremie had just returned to office in May after Brigid Annisette George left the position and returned to private life. Following the revelations, the Law Association passed a no-confidence motion in Jeremie.
Read the story: Law Association passes no confidence motion in AG Jeremie
Jeremie later offered his resignation but Prime Minister Patrick Manning refused to accept it.
Read the story: PM Manning refuses AG's offer to resign
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