Karl’s government briefs cost country $6M

Karl Hudson-Phillips QC has received more than $6M from the Government for work done on its behalf between  March 29, 1996 and December 31, 2003. Included in this sum is US $139,238.57. His biggest bill was for work with the Anti Corruption Bureau’s (ACB) investigation into alleged corruption involving  the Piarco Airport Development Project  and the  Inncogen electricity contract. This matter entailed work in the UK and Channel Islands and inquiries into various companies. His services with the ACB on these matters have so far earned him $2,161,050.35. Further, as lead counsel prosecuting Ish Galbaransingh and others charged with corruption arising from the Piarco investigations, Hudson-Phillips has been paid so far an additional $966,350, bringing his total earnings from government briefs in these matters to $3,127,400.35. 

In contrast, his smallest retention of service  was billed at  $5.04 in an alleged contempt of court matter by Elizabeth Quarfort in early 1996. Apart from the US sum, Hudson-Phillips has received a total of  $5,727,829.54 from the Government over the six-year period. The majority of fees paid in US dollars was for briefs in the Zimmern Beharry extradition proceedings which amounted to US $105,159.19. The United States Government wanted Beharry extradited to the US on drug related charges. The only other Government payment to him in US dollars came as a result of a  judicial review application by Ibraham Noumeh, who was also wanted by the US Government on fraud related charges.

Noumeh had left his safe haven in Barbados and had come to Trinidad in 1998 to attend a funeral when he was arrested with the intention of being extradited to the US. In this matter, Hudson-Phillips was paid US$34,079.38. Hudson-Phillips was also paid for his part played in the  Ramdhanie saga. Deochan Ramdhanie, his father Mantoor and others were charged with trafficking in cocaine. Hudson-Phillips prosecuted the matter for a sum of $619, 457.85 which included the confiscation hearing. He was paid an additional $392,325.95 for his appearance at the “Commission of Inquiry into the alleged escape from lawful custody of Deochan Ramdhanie.”

He was again retained by the State to prosecute  Naresh Boodram, Joey Ramiah and Michael “Rat” Maharaj in what became knows as the “Tooks and Bull” murder trial. The three accused were convicted of  the murders of Stephen “Bulls” Sandy and Anthony “Tooks” Greenidge. The fees paid to Hudson-Phillips in this matter was $448,831.78 In the contempt of court matter of editor Ken Ali and reporter Sharmain Baboolal, which arose from the murder trial of Dole Chadee and nine others, Hudson-Phillips was paid $14,375. Ali was ordered to prison for allegedly disobeying an order of the Court and Baboolal was ordered to pay a fine.

These figures were supplied by Attorney General John Jeremie in response to a question lodged in Parliament. The documents with these figures were tabled in Parliament on Friday. In the majority of these matters, Hudson-Phillips, the former president of the Law Association and  a judge of the International Criminal Court, was retained by the Ministry of the Attorney General. In the other matters  he was retained by the Solicitor General.