Campbell, 76, of Fyzabad, is accused of fraudulently converting a certified cheque in the sum of $132,153 for his own use but which was to be used for the purchase of the parcel of land.

According to the charge, the alleged incident took place sometime between August 18, 2014, and April 5, 2017, in San Fernando. He was charged on Wednesday night after being arrested by Fraud Squad officers on Tuesday at his law chambers on Harris Promenade, San Fernando.

Campbell, who has over 40 years in private practice, also has a pending matter in the High Court for perverting the course of justice, arising out of an allegation that he paid a bribe to a police officer.

Although the official police criminal record trace was not available, police prosecutor Inspector Winston Dillon said the prosecution was not objecting to bail.

Campbell was represented by attorney Ian Brooks who had asked that his client be released on his own recognisance with conditions because of Campbell’s age, his profession and that the matter pending in the High Court was 12 years old and he made no attempt to abscond.

Instead, the Chief Magistrate granted bail in the sum of $75,000 to be approved by a Clerk of the Peace III. She advised that if Campbell did not secure bail by 4 pm yesterday, he will have to seek the approval of the Clerk of the Peace at the San Fernando Magistrates Court from today.

The matter was adjourned to April 12, where Campbell will appear before a San Fernando magistrate.

In 2005, Campbell, who was found guilty of professional misconduct in 1996, lost his appeal before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

He was ordered to repay $29,400 to a former client along with interest dating back to 1996, which was paid to him for two parcels of land in Sangre Grande. The land was never given to the client and the money was not returned.

At the Privy Council, the Law Lords expressed surprise that Campbell was not fined or reprimanded.

Dwayne Hovell, an employee of the Tobago Regional Health Authority left home last week Friday saying he was, “going down the road.” He has not been seen or heard from since.

Police said they are working on reports that he struck up a conversation with a Trinidad woman via social media website Facebook and is believed to have journeyed to Trinidad to meet her.

However, Hovell’s wife Christiana yesterday insisted their marriage is strong, they had no major disagreements and he would not go after another woman.

Hovell’s disappearance was reported to the Old Grange Police Station and calls to his cell phone have gone unanswered. Police said they have information that Hovell was supposed to meet up with the woman who is either from Beetham or Sea Lots. Hovell was last seen by his family at 5 pm last Friday.

Yesterday, Christiana said the last time she saw her husband was on Friday last when he was leaving a pharmacy in Scarborough at 3 pm. She said that Hovell, 38, whom she married five years ago, spent all of the Shouter Baptist holiday with her at their Mount Grace home and last Friday, when he was leaving for work, he told her she would not be seeing him for the weekend because he had to do some work on a house he was building in Bethel.

According to Christiana, she did not find anything strange when her husband did not call her last weekend or even on Monday and Tuesday. When Hovell’s mother contacted Christiana on Wednesday and asked about his whereabouts, Christiana said, she was surprised to learn that he was missing.

She said she too tried contacting him on his cellphone. “I am worried about him because he has never done this before. As far as I know, we have an excellent relationship and I do not know him to be a person on Facebook and I doubt very much that he went to Trinidad to meet another woman. If that is so then it will be very surprising to me. Right now all I want to know is that he is all right and not in any harm or danger,” she said.

Christiana told Newsday her husband’s disappearance is a mystery. Mindful of the rampant crime situation and the fact that several missing persons have turned up dead, she is begging members of the public who may have seen him or know of his whereabouts, to contact the nearest police station or 639-8888.

MINISTER WORRIED Minister of Tourism Shamfa Cudjoe yesterday described Hovell as a quiet and church-going individual, but added, “he likes his little lime.” The Tobago West MP said it was highly unusual Hovell would stay away from his family for such a long period. “I met him in 1994, when I was in Standard Three. We went to the same church and I am very familiar with his family…his mother, sister, grandmother. I spoke with his aunt yesterday and I am very familiar with him.

“We are very worried at this point in time. We are hoping he is found alive. There is no confirmation that he made it to Trinidad.

His sister said he came from work and took a shower, put on a grey t-shirt, red pants and some shoes and said he was going down the road to come back.

That is the information that I got from the family,” Cudjoe said.

Cudjoe said she and Hovell attended the Montgomery Moravian Church in Bethel Village.

“He was supposed to meet with his wife with whom he has one child, but she has other children from a previous relationship.

Somebody said they saw him on a flight going to Trinidad on Friday last,” Cudjoe said.

She added that several calls had been made to his cell phone, some went straight to voice mail, others were picked up, but not answered.

When contacted yesterday evening, communications officer with Caribbean Airlines (CAL) Dionne Ligoure said she could not reveal whether Hovell had booked a flight to Trinidad from Tobago, last Friday, citing regulations regarding CAL customer confidentiality.

Mohammed-Ramkissoon, 31, who worked at a graphics store in Marabella, was shot in her head while in a car driven by a male relative and which also contained a close friend of hers. Both men remain in custody at two police stations in Central Division. Both claim the other shot Mohammed- Ramkissoon.

The suspects, aged 31 and 35, are said to be childhood friends and live in the same area in Claxton Bay. Yesterday, relatives of Mohammed-Ramkissoon told Newsday she was having an extra- marital relationship for almost a year and recently decided to leave the marital home.

Shortly after being shot, Mohammed- Ramkissoon’s friend jumped out of the car and fled, while the relative who was driving, proceeded to the Chaguanas Police Station.

Mohammed-Ramkissoon was pronounced dead at the police station. An autopsy done at the Forensic Science Centre in St James confirmed she was killed by a single shot to the head. A revolver containing four ‘live’ rounds and a spent shell was found in the car, while in the trunk, 12 rounds of ammunition were found.

Yesterday, Steve Mohammed who said he is an uncle of Mohammed- Ramkissoon, described her as an extremely friendly and hard-working individual. He added that she was extremely close to her family. According to Mohammed, Mohammed-Ramkissoon had everything she could ever want and did not appear to be having any marital difficulties.

Mohammed said he knew that Mohammed-Ramkissoon and the family friend (who is in custody) are “very close” but could not say if their was an intimate relationship as well. Mohammed- Ramkissoon will be buried today following a service at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Sum Sum Hill, Claxton Bay then buried at the Forres Park cemetery.

Police investigators said yesterday they are awaiting the results of gunshot residue tests done on the hands of the two suspects before submitting a file to Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard SC, for his advice on how police are to proceed in the matter.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Education claimed in a press release, that the Teaching Service Commission did not suspend Paul but asked him not to report for work pending the outcome of an investigation into allegations of misconduct .

Suspension is a disciplinary action, the release explained, which can only be taken if Paul is found guilty .

TT Unified Teachers Association President Lynsley Doodhai yesterday said the source of the confusion could be found in a letter which informed Paul of a request to not report to work last Friday but which was captioned, ‘Allegations of Misconduct/ Suspension from Duty.’ This led both Paul and TTUTA to believe he was suspended .

The letter states in the third paragraph: “The Commission has directed that you cease to report for duty, in accordance with the provision of Regulation 88 of the Public Service Commission Regulations.” Regulation 88, according to a source, is itself titled, ‘Suspension by Commission’ and states, “When the Commission becomes aware of any indiscipline or misconduct and the Commission is of the opinion that the public interest or the repute of the public service requires it, the Commission may direct the officer in writing to cease to report for duty until further notice from the Commission, and an officer so directed shall cease to perform the functions of his office forthwith.” “This means that the Teaching Service Commission was already of the opinion that Mr Paul was wrong,” said Doodhai .

Nadine Shah, of Jamadar Street, San Fernando, pleaded not guilty to the three charges as well as Barry Brown and Kendell McIntosh.

However, McIntosh pleaded guilty to the cocaine possession charge which has a street value of $20.

Senior Magistrate Margaret Alert heard from the police prosecutor Sgt Denzil Alexander, that at about 11.30 am on Monday, Police Constable Trevor Rampersad of the San Fernando CID and other police officers, were on patrol at Gulf View, La Romaine, when on reaching Pizza Hut, they stopped a vehicle and searched it.

They found the cocaine in a compartment by the handbrake.

The magistrate reprimanded and discharged McIntosh on the cocaine charge on the ground that it was his very first offence and he was entitled to that opportunity, given also the fact that the street value was minimum such that if multiplied by three, would be $60.

McIntosh, however, pleaded not guilty to the gun and ammunition charges. Shah and Brown pleaded not guilty to the gun, ammunition and cocaine charges. Attorney Subhas Panday pleaded that Shah was a passenger in the vehicle.

The magistrate granted her own bail in the sum of $20,000, Brown was granted $75,00 and McIntosh – $50,000. They are to reappear on May 4.

The evidence about Baboolal’s arrest was read to the jury from a document which both the State and the defence agreed to. The prosecution last week closed its case and Baboolal, 41, of Mayaro, was on Wednesday called upon to make his defence in a trial in which he is alleged to have murdered Ria Ramlochan, 26, and her 18-month-old baby, Ishmael Timothy Ragbir between August 10 and 13, 2005, at Solomon Street, Mayaro. When the trial resumed yesterday before Justice Althea Alexis-Windsor in the San Fernando High Court, attorney Rekha Ramjit, who is defending Baboolal, called Dr Maniram Rampaul, a general medical practitioneer in Rio Claro. He testified that on August 17, 2005, he had attended to Baboolal at his office and found there were no injuries. It is the State’s case that on that day, the accused was charged with the murders.

The Judicial Support Officer then read the document to the judge and jury that on Sunday August 14, 2005, Inspector George, Sgt Hamid and Cpl Garcia, went to Torib Trace, New Grant, Tabaquite, where they met accused Baboolal in a camp behind a sawmill. They arrested him on an outstanding warrant relating to non-payment of fines, the court heard.

Alexis-Windsor told the jury that today when the trial resumes, attorney Ramjit will begin her address to them. On Monday, Senior State Shabaana Shah, who is leading State Attorney Chantal Hospedales, will address them and on the following day the judge will sum up the case. If the judge completes her summation on that day, the jury will be requested to retire to consider a verdict

Mohammed was appointed to chair the Estate Management and Business Development Company (EMBD) 16 months ago, and appointed to chair Caribbean Airline Limited, five months ago.

Asked by Chairman of the Public Accounts (Enterprise) Committee Wade Mark at its meeting to inquire into the operations of the EMBD on Wednesday if he can function effectively as chairman for both entities, Mohammed said, “I would leave that decision up to the persons who have appointed me to determine if I function effectively and efficiently.” Asked about his greatest challenge was as chairman of EMBD, Mohammed said, “Coming into an organisation that did not provide accounts.

No company, no State enterprise, in my personal view should be handed billions of dollars without any sense of accountability.” The second challenge, he said, “was the sheer value of outstanding liabilities to contractors and trying to understand how did we get there.” He said it was difficult to understand how as an organisation can be awarded a $6-million contract and end up with a $600 million contract.

“How can one account for these liabilities that might be hidden in some state enterprises somewhere? Do we truly know the true liabilities as a people and as country?” he queried. “These are the two most surprising things for me and what I would consider the biggest challenges for me to resolve,” he said.

The State enterprises manual, he said, provides very clearly the responsibilities of directors and state enterprise.

When people accept the responsibilities and duties of directors, he said, “If we all follow the requirements of the manual clearly we would not have been in the position we are in at the EMBD.” It was not just an issue for the EMBD but other State enterprises, he said. He urged those who would have been appointed as directors to make a concerted effort to fulfil their duties

President of the Trinidad and Tobago Registered Nursing Association Idi Stewart told Newsday yesterday the non-payment of back pay to Tobago nurses was the same problem they had last year when the first 50 percent was disbursed. “Trinidad nurses got it, but it took Tobago nurses three to four months before they got their own,” Stewart said.

He said he was told that it was not the Ministry of Health’s responsibility and he should direct his queries to the Secretary for Health at the Tobago House of Assembly.

“The Secretary for Health comes like the Minister of Health for Tobago, and the person responsible for that is the Minister of Finance to forward the cheque to THA, then the cheque will be forwarded to Tobago Regional Health Authority who will pay the nurses.” He continued, “The Minister of Finance is impossible to get onto, and it is only the Secretary of Health we are trying to work with. We are giving them a deadline but I prefer not to say when the deadline is because we want to surprise them publicly. We have spoken to them telling them the urgency of the matter because protective services across TT were paid. Why have nurses in Trinidad been paid and not nurses in Tobago?” He said the association has called on the Secretary for Health to meet with the association to address the matter with great urgency because the nurses in Tobago, once again, feel neglected.

“Nurses don’t really like to protest for money but it always seems that we are being taken for granted. With nurses you have to contemplate and be battling.

Nurses are taking up offers to migrate to greener pastures. We as an association are trying to encourage nurses to hold on. We are asking them to stay and work for the betterment of our country but it seems like a losing battle because every day.”

Justice of Appeal Prakash Moosai on Wednesday declared that Audine Mootoo’s right to equality of treatment from a public authority was contravened.

He ordered that she was entitled to a compensatory award for any loss of earnings occasioned by the PSC’s failure to consider her for promotion to the posts as well as for the distress and inconvenience she suffered as a result of the breach of her right. The sum of the compensatory award will be assessed by a Master of the Court.

Justices of Appeal Alice Yorke- Soo Hon and Rajendra Narine also presided over Mootoo’s appeal in which she contended she was discriminated against when she was bypassed for promotion to four different offices between August 2004 and March 2006.

The four positions for which Mootoo, who is due to retire from the Public Service shortly, was bypassed were, acting deputy director, extension training and information services; technical officer (horticulture) in the same ministry; deputy director, agricultural services division (crop production); and acting director horticultural services in the Ministry of Public Utilities.

Mootoo, in 2007 when she filed her lawsuit, was a biochemist II in the Ministry of Agriculture and was represented by Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan at the appeal.

Senior Counsel Russell Martineau represented the PSC while Neil Byam appeared for the Attorney General.

She claimed that in one of the positions full consideration was given to another officer while in another, the PSC wrongly held that she was not eligible for promotion despite her seniority. She also contended that she was admittedly bypassed for promotion on two occasions to one of the positions she applied for and that the PSC failed to consider her for one of the posts, claiming she never applied for the position.

In his ruling, Moosai held that equality of treatment demanded that decision-makers must be consistent with the procedure and criteria they apply. He pointed out that the cumulative effect of the treatment meted out to Mootoo was not confined to a singular post but extended across a broad spectrum of acting appointments.

“Its effect thereof smacks of unfairness and arbitrariness and constitutes prima facie evidence of unequal treatment contrary to section 4(d) of the Constitution,” Moosai held.

“Even more startling is the fact that she was bypassed for consideration for the post in her own area of expertise (horticulture),” Moosai noted.

He said although she was senior to the persons appointed to the positions for which she applied, she never had the benefit of being lawfully considered under the PSC’s regulations.

“This differential treatment is such as to call upon the PSC to explain and justify the difference in treatment,” the judge said. He noted that no explanation was given by the PSC as to why she was not considered for appointment to the posts.

Initially, Dillon said he didn’t understand Newsday’s question nor the nature of the allegation.

Pressed, Dillon said, “We cannot shut down anybody who wishes to speak. As a matter of fact, we invited the gentleman if he has information to bring it to our attention, and to do so in a manner in which we can use it to the benefit of the TT Police Service. He has not come forward as yet.” Acting Prime Minister Colm Imbert supported Dillon by saying the dialogue had gone awry when Dillon had sought a reply as to whether Krysis had posted controversial Facebook postings.

“I actually saw that video. I thought that Minister Dillon did give the guy an opportunity to talk.

I did not see any intimidation on the part of Mr Dick,” Imbert said.

“What I did see is Minister Dillon ask the individual a question. It was with respect to that particular question and the response to that question that the conversation became a bit convoluted.

A particular question was asked of the individual with respect to the making of a video and the individual was a bit evasive in his answer, so Minister Dillon asked him several times, were you the one who was in that particular video? The guy didn’t want to answer that question. He wanted to say something else. So that might have given the impression that Minister Dillon was being a bit firm with him…”