Attorney General Anand Ramlogan says yesterday's judgment vindicates Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar's decision to initiate the UTT probe and he too felt vindicated in his decision to pursue the matter.He spoke at a news conference at his Cabildo Chambers office, St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, shortly after the ruling was given.Ramlogan said the ruling also repelled the argument and criticism of the PNM that the UTT and other probes were witch-hunts and there was no justification for them.
Saying he was the subject of "much vilification and malicious attacks by the PNM for pursuing those matters in court," Ramlogan said he was happy with the ruling.Noting that the PNM was claiming the matters had no legal basis, Ramlogan said the State had been victorious in all of them."Today is a significant and important victory because it represents judicial endorsement of the merit of the claim," Ramlogan said, adding it "clears the way for trial of this case to go forward."
He said consequently, the defendants would be forced to give evidence and submit themselves to cross-examination in court.Witness statements in the matter are due on September 1 and the trial has been fixed for December 3-5, he told reporters.Ramlogan said the ruling "clears all the obstacles in the way of this trial progressing" and he hoped it would be given the utmost priority which it deserved.