Sea Lots businessman and community leader Cedric “Burkie” Burke’s malicious prosecution and false imprisonment lawsuit over his arrest and detention during the 2011 State of Emergency is expected to go on trial in February next year.
The trial of the case was expected to begin before Justice Robin Mohammed in the Port-of-Spain High Court yesterday but was rescheduled to February 5, next year.
Burke and his driver Keown “Baine” Bayne were arrested at the Hyatt Regency in Port-of-Spain on August 26, 2011.
They filed separate lawsuits against the State after they were charged with being a gang leader and a gang member and kept on remand without bail for several months before being freed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard, SC, due to insufficient evidence.
More than 4,000 people were similarly charged and released during the SoE, which was called by former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar between August 21 and December 6, 2011.
A percentage of the persons filed lawsuits against the State, which were eventually settled.
Burke is being represented by Richard Clarke-Wills and Celeste St Louis.