A cabinet sub-committee has been asked to consider a 90-clause bill that would abolish the preliminary inquiry (PI) procedure as part of a billion-dollar change to the criminal justice system.
Under the current system a preliminary hearings is required before an accused person is taken to trial at the High Court.
While the process is meant to save tim and costs, the reality is that the preliminary stage often takes years.
The Transfer of Proceedings Bill proposes a new High Court procedure called a “sufficiency hearing” to replace the preliminary inquiry.
There will be four “judicial centres” across Trinidad that will support the abolition of the PI procedure. Also included in the new plan is the division of Trinidad into six High Court regions, each with a judicial centre, and a master as well as other judicial officials and three new magistrates’ courts.
Under the current system a preliminary hearings is required before an accused person is taken to trial at the High Court.
While the process is meant to save tim and costs, the reality is that the preliminary stage often takes years.
No comments:
Post a Comment