Warris to be extradited to US

VALSAYN businessman Farouk Warris was yesterday committed to be extradited to the United States of America to serve a 17-month jail sentence that had been handed down almost 11 years ago. After hearing a series of arguments from Warris’ attorney Keith Beckles and attorney for the requesting State, David West, Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls ruled that Beckles’ submissions “fell by the wayside.” A prima facie case, McNicolls said, had been made out against the fugitive as charged and the committal was forwarded to the Attorney General. Warris, 53, of  Karvi Road in Valsayn, is wanted in the US where he was convicted for uttering and possession of counterfeit US$600, possession of counterfeit US$1,000 and making, uttering and possession of two cheques valued at US$50,000 and US$9,500. Warris had fled the jurisdiction to avoid facing the sentence. He was arrested at the Hilton Trinidad in St Ann’s by WPC Dawn Patrick of the Anti-Corruption Unit on March 31.

Prior to the committal, Beckles had argued that the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, by virtue of the then AG Glenda Morean, had entered into an agreement with the United Kingdom that Warris would not be tried for offences committed prior to the date of extradition, if he was extradited to Trinidad and Tobago. “The Government is not at leisure to renege on that undertaking,” the defence attorney said. Beckles also argued that the same bundle of documents had been used in the issuance of the provisional warrant for the arrest of the accused and was tendered into evidence for the court to rely on to adjudicate in the matter. That, Beckles said, raised the issue of prejudice and bias. In addition, he said, there was no evidence in the bundle which indicated that the fugitive was unlawfully at large within the meaning of the Extradition Act. After 11 years, the defence attorney said, “It would be unjust and erroneous to facilitate the request of the US government.”

In response, West argued that the delay in the extradition request stemmed from the fact that the US did not know the whereabouts of the fugitive. Regarding Beckles’ claim of the dual use of the bundle of documents, West said certification of the documents was the distinguishing factor.  The first bundle, he said, was not certified, whereas the second bundle was. An attempt by West to hand over a document for the magistrate to look at as an authority, raised vehement objections by Beckles. “The State has closed its case,” he said. “He cannot come now and attempt to tender any document into evidence. I strongly object.”  McNicolls, however, overruled the objection, as well as the no-case submission made by the defence attorney. The issue of bias and prejudice, the magistrate said, had not risen. Warris was informed of his right to make an application to the High Court for habeas corpus.