Jagessar can practise law again

Former Senior Magistrate Patrick Jagessar who served three years in jail after being convicted of bribery in May 1988, has applied for and been granted a Practise Certificate by the Registrar and Marshal of the Supreme Court Evelyn Ann Petersen. The certificate was issued to Jagessar on Friday, September 26 and gives him the right to practise as an attorney in TT. The certificate states that “his name has never been removed from the Roll of Attorneys and that no order has ever been made directing him to be suspended from practising his profession. No charge is pending against him for professional misconduct. He has not been declared a bankrupt and is a person of good character and repute. However, a source told Sunday Newsday there may be objections to Jagessar setting up practice based on the rule that any attorney who has had a conviction is barred from practising and his name struck off the Roll. Jagessar is prepared to face any objection or challenge that may be raised. He put it this way: “I believe that Jesus Christ gave me back the certificate to practise law. He showed me mercy by forgiving my sins. Thank you Jesus for the mercy you have shown me.”
 
Jagessar, who received a Presidential Pardon on May 10, 2002 from then President N A R Robinson said he applied for the Pardon and had to make a case to get it. This required recommendations from people in and out of the prison system who took into account the work he had done in the reformation of other prisoners and drug addicts. He said his case was carefully considered before he was pardoned by the President for the offence he committed in 1986. In 1987 he was found guilty and sentenced to two years imprisonment with hard labour by Justice Anthony Lucky for accepting a bribe of a Toyota Royal Saloon motor car as a reward for dismissing a criminal charge against a businessman Bhola Nandlal. Nandlal was also convicted and jailed for two years. While Jagessar was serving the two years, he was also tried by Justice Deyalsingh for conspiracy, found guilty and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. His appeal against the Deyal-singh judgment was upheld by the Court of Appeal which stated that the bribery and conspiracy charges were related and it amounted to Jagessar being tried twice for the same matter. He was immediately set free having served three years — one more than the original sentence by Justice Lucky. While in prison and since his release Jagessar immersed himself in religion, voluntary social work and assisting and counselling people in trouble. He has been very successful in this work. “My family life was shattered,” he said last week.

“I brought shame and disgrace, humiliation on myself, my family, my profession, my country. I made a fundamental mistake.” Do not be like Patrick Jagessar, he warned others. “If you are going to be like Patrick Jagessar you are going to suffer. Learn from my experience. I am not a role model for anybody. Make time for God and church. If I had listened to my wife and gone to church I would not have succumbed to temptation.” Jagessar has not yet decided whether he will practise law again, but he wanted to have his certificate. Prior to the Legal Profession Act of 1987, once an individual was called to the Bar he/she could practise. But the 1987 law introduced the requirement of a certificate from the Supreme Court Registrar which costs between $500 for juniors to $2000 for seniors. Jagessar, father of five daughters, was called to the Bar in England on September 7, 1969 and was appointed to the TT Magistracy in 1970. He presided in different courts until he accepted a bribe in 1986 and was charged, found guilty and jailed.