3 months ago
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Trinidad and Tobago’s Attorney General John Jeremie has launched an internal investigation into the state’s handling of the ongoing extradition case involving former FIFA vice president Jack Warner, amid allegations of misrepresentation and misconduct tied to a controversial 2015 agreement with the United States.
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The development was revealed in the High Court on Tuesday during a hearing before Justice Karen Reid, where the state’s lead attorney, British barrister Robert Strang, requested an adjournment in Warner’s long-running legal battle to avoid extradition to the U.S. on corruption-related charges.
Strang told the court that several individuals have been asked to respond to findings from former chief magistrate Maria Busby Earle-Caddle, who in June 2023 raised serious concerns about the legal foundation underpinning the extradition request. In her ruling, Busby Earle-Caddle highlighted inconsistencies in the state’s case and questioned the existence of a formal, written agreement between Trinidad and Tobago and the U.S. — a document required under local law to authorize Warner’s extradition.
The former magistrate described the state’s conduct as a “colossal misrepresentation,” particularly surrounding the role of former Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi, who signed off on the purported arrangement. A Freedom of Information request filed by Warner failed to uncover any such agreement, prompting the magistrate to refer the issue to the High Court, citing the importance of legal safeguards when a person’s liberty is at stake.
Strang said Attorney General Jeremie has since decided to “scrutinise and reassess” how the Office of the Attorney General handled the matter, given the weight of the allegations. He told the court that searches of internal files are underway and key individuals — including former public officials — have been asked to provide statements.
The investigation follows sharp criticism from Warner’s legal team, led by senior counsel Fyard Hosein, who accused the state of dishonesty, fabrication, and fraud. Hosein argued that Warner has been subjected to years of legal jeopardy based on an agreement that may never have existed and welcomed Jeremie’s willingness to investigate the matter. However, he insisted the probe must go further, with a full interrogation of all lawyers and public officials involved, as well as possible referrals to law enforcement and the legal profession’s governing bodies.
The extradition case, which has dragged on for more than a decade, hinges on the “speciality principle,” a legal doctrine that prevents an extradited individual from being tried for crimes not specified in the original request. Warner, who remains free on TT$2.5 million bail, contends that the absence of a proper agreement voids the authority to proceed with his removal to the United States.
Now 81, Warner has been indicted on 29 counts in the U.S., including fraud, bribery, and money laundering. The indictment accuses him of accepting bribes to influence the awarding of the 2010 FIFA World Cup to South Africa and distributing envelopes of cash to officials. He has denied all charges.
Warner has already been banned for life by FIFA, but last year expressed optimism that the U.S. case against him might collapse in light of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that narrowed the scope of federal corruption laws. Two other FIFA defendants have since had their convictions overturned.
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The extradition hearing will resume following the state’s investigation.
English (US) ·