ACP Graham loses judicial review lawsuit

ASSISTANT Commissioner of Police Dennis Graham yesterday lost his judicial review lawsuit in the High Court against the decision of the Commissioner of Police (CoP) to transfer him from Southern Division. Justice Charmaine Pemberton, presiding in the San Fernando High Court, upheld an application by attorneys representing the CoP, which sought leave to set aside the leave granted to Graham to sue against the transfer. Graham was transferred to the North/Eastern Division and, in his lawsuit, he alleged political interference. Last week Wednesday, Senior Counsel Fyard Hosein submitted to Justice Pemberton that Graham failed to disclose material facts in his affidavit.

Attorney Anand Ramlogan filed the lawsuit in January, and Graham was granted an interim injunction preventing the CoP from effecting the transfer. Graham contended that the transfer was politically motivated because he opposed a traffic plan implemented by San Fernando Mayor Ian Atherly which converted High Street, San Fernando, into a pedestrian mall. Hosein also submitted that Graham did not have sufficient interest to challenge the traffic plan because it did not adversely affect him. Giving her ruling yesterday, Justice Pemberton overturned the leave granted and ordered Graham to pay costs fit for senior and junior counsel.