T&T paying $25M/year for police, prison officers bungling

A report in the Sunday Express says the State has been forking out an estimated $25 million per year to settle hundreds of judicial matters brought by members of the public against police and prisons officers.

The report says the cases deal with infringements of constitutional rights of individuals.

The paper says its sources have reported that about 2,500 cases have been logged between 2004 and 2009 showing that the State has had to pay an estimated $100 million.

It cites one case of discrimination involving the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha in which a court has ordered the state to pay more than $2.6 million for denying the Hindu organisation a radio licence.

Read the story: Judge orders state to pay $2.6M to Maha Sabha

However, the Express said the majority of cases requiring payouts result from "what has been described by both Appeal and High Court judges as the "barbaric behaviour" of police and prison officers as regards members of the public and individuals in the State's care."

The paper said, "As a result of the behaviour of these officers, prison inmates - both on death row and in Remand Yard- and members of the public have been compensated for a series of other infractions, including wrongful arrest, assault and battery, unlawful detention and malicious prosecution.

"And despite warnings and appeals from judges that officers involved in such cases...be investigated, sources said there are instances dating back to at least five years where nothing had been done," the report said.
It highlighted some prominent cases:

1. Sookdeo Harricharan: False imprisonment ($50,000), malicious prosecution ($75,000)
2. Ravi Harry: False imprisonment,assault and battery including aggravated damages (100,000),Special damages (16,000) Exemplary damages (40,000)
3. Morris Kenny: Aggravated damages ($50,000), exemplary damages ($60,000)
4. Martin Reed: Assault and battery (65,000), exemplary damages (45,000
5. Michael Bullock: Aggravated damages ($130,000), exemplary damages ($50,000) Siewchand Ramanoop: Exemplary damages ($60,000)

Read the report