File photo: Opposition Senator Wade Mark.
IN ANNOUNCING that it has filed a motion of no-confidence in Attorney General Reginald Armour, SC, UNC Senator Wade Mark on Sunday called for the Law Association (LATT) and Commissioner of Police Erla Christopher to separately investigate whether or not Armour had committed misconduct.
Both LATT president Sophia Chote, SC, and CoP Christopher could not be reached for comment.
At the UNC’s weekly Sunday press conference, Mark said the Opposition, “Intends to prosecute this matter inside and outside of Parliament.
“This gentleman has lost all credibility but he is of the view that we are a gullible population and will forget, after nine days. I want to let him know, that and God’s face he will never see.”
“Because of his conduct this case (the Piarco Airport-related civil asset forfeiture case before a Miami court) is in danger and on the verge of collapse. The government has to take action to deal with this. The AG who is the chief advisor to Government on legal matters, is unable to represent our country,” Mark said.
Armour has come under heavy criticism after the State failed to enter a defence against a malicious prosecution case in which a High Court Master eventually ordered over $20m in compensation to nine men who were acquitted of the murder of businesswoman Vindra Naipaul-Coolman.
Armour’s explanation for this non-defence was because the Naipaul-Coolman case file had “disappeared.”
On the same day he was giving this explanation to the country (last Wednesday), a US appeals court upheld another US judge’s ruling barring Armour from representing Government in the civil asset forfeiture case in the Miami court.
Mark said Armour’s first move, when he realised the file had disappeared, should have been to make a police report. He said the AG’s “gross negligence,” was grounds for a police inquiry.
On the civil asset forfeiture case, Mark accused Armour of “passing the ball” by blaming others.
“In the final analysis, everything all points back to the AG’s Office. Whatever happens in that office, the ministry must take responsibility for it.”
Mark said an investigation by LATT is needed to determine if any code of ethics were breached by Armour during his involvement in the Piarco Airport inquiry, first as a defence lawyer and then as Attorney General.
“So I ask, what is the Law Association going to do about this AG (when it comes to) the code of ethics governing this very association?”
He called on Armour to “do the decent thing” and resign, if only for the sake of accountability.
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