Will QC prosecute Bakr and Atherly?

THE EDITOR: In light of the recent opening of the law term, one notes that there are currently several high profile cases engaging the court’s attention. In this regard, one wonders whether Queens Counsel will be retained by the State to prosecute Yasin Abu Bakr and San Fernando Mayor Ian Atherly who were charged with attempted murder and tampering with a ballot box respectively. In the case of the State versus Basdeo Panday, in what is considered a minor charge, the State retained well-known British Queens Council Sir Timothy Cassel to prosecute. Cassel has been involved in high profile cases in Trinidad over the years such as the Dole Chadee trial.

Given that the charge against Mr Abu Bakr is much more serious than the charge laid against Mr Basdeo Panday, one would expect that a QC would be retained to prosecute Mr Bakr. These are supported by the Chief Justice who in his recent speech at the opening of the law term said in the past guilty persons have been acquitted because of the inexperience of counsel for the State. I suppose it is also accurate to say that innocent people have been imprisoned.

MARTIN MAHARAJ
St Augustine