TT Court of Appeal rules against Jack Warner

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – A Trinidad and Tobago  Appeal Court Wednesday ordered the former chairman of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP), Austin Jack Warner, to pay a former member of the party more than TT$600,000 in compensation over defamatory remarks he made.

Justice Peter Jamadar, Gregory Smith and Prakash Moosai in a 73-page ruling said that Warner, a former government minister an international football executive, had to pay TT$650,000 to Faaiq Mohammed, a former councilor of the Chaguanas Borough, in Central Trinidad.

In 2014, Warner was ordered by the High Court to pay Mohammed TT$220,000 after Mohammed had successfully that he had been defamed by statements made by Warner, who had accused him of accepting a bribe when he voted for in support of councilor of the United National Congress (UNC) for the post of presiding officer during the corporation’s first meeting that year.

Mohammed had appealed the High Court award and the Court of Appeal in increase the quantum also said that interest would be added from the date Mohammed filed his claim.

The Court of Appeal had found the conduct of Warner, who was not present in Court, to be “oppressive,” adding “it was outrageous by any standards, even given the permissiveness of the local political gayelle. “It was oppressive. It was intended to both ‘advantage’ the appellant, and gain political advantage for the respondent,” the Appeal Court noted.

Mohammed said he was immediately expelled from the ILP by Warner. During the High Court trial, Warner admitted defaming Mohammed and accepted liability.