New State attorney to be appointed

A new state attorney has been appointed in the matter involving Bisoon Boodhai, one of the three men charged with conspiracy to traffic cocaine in a diplomatic pouch. When the matter was called yesterday, State attorney Denise Badree told Magistrate Lianne Lee Kim the previous State attorney in the matter, Marissa Gomez, was at another court in another matter. Badree said the file would go to a new State attorney to continue the matter. Rangee Dolsingh SC, representing Boodhai told Magistrate Lee Kim he had no objections to an adjournment, but was seeking leave to make further submissions on the point of jurisdiction and  he intended to call evidence in support of his legal arguments. 

On the last occasion, Dolsingh made submissions to Lee Kim challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain a charge against his client. He submitted that Boodhai was not in the jurisdiction of Trinidad and Tobago during the period for which he was charged, but was instead in England. Dolsingh argued if his client had committed an offence, it was the English court that should assume the jurisdiction. Yesterday Dolsingh indicated to the magistrate that since the last hearing, other things have come to light for which he would be calling evidence to support his jurisdictional submissions. Boodhai, 47, who enjoyed diplomatic status at the Trinidad and Tobago High Commission in London, is charged with Micha Smith and Kurt Alexis with conspiracy to traffic cocaine in a Ministry of Foreign Affairs pouch. The matter was adjourned to February 25.