A court in Trinidad and Tobago has blocked a convicted lawyer from taking his case to a higher authority. The Court of Appeal refused Vincent Nelson, a Jamaican-born King's Counsel, the conditional leave needed to appeal his 2019 corruption conviction to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The judges ruled his application was purely procedural and raised no substantial legal issue for the final court to consider.
Justice Nolan Bereaux stated the Director of Public Prosecutions did not violate Nelson's rights, noting full due process was observed. Nelson had pleaded guilty to conspiracy and money laundering in a legal kickback scheme, receiving a fine of 2.25 million Trinidad and Tobago dollars after agreeing to testify against former attorney general Anand Ramlogan and ex-senator Gerald Ramdeen. Those cases later collapsed when Nelson refused to testify, pending a separate civil claim.
Nelson's appeal argued that former attorney general Faris Al-Rawi promised him immunity, a pardon, and payment for his legal fees, inducing his self-incriminating statement. The court found this claim unsupported, pointing out Nelson was represented by senior counsel and waited years to file his challenge, missing the deadline by a significant margin. His legal team, led by Edward Fitzgerald, contended Nelson was tricked into confessing, while state prosecutors argued he strategically delayed for leverage. Nelson has not yet paid the imposed fine.
Justice Nolan Bereaux stated the Director of Public Prosecutions did not violate Nelson's rights, noting full due process was observed. Nelson had pleaded guilty to conspiracy and money laundering in a legal kickback scheme, receiving a fine of 2.25 million Trinidad and Tobago dollars after agreeing to testify against former attorney general Anand Ramlogan and ex-senator Gerald Ramdeen. Those cases later collapsed when Nelson refused to testify, pending a separate civil claim.
Nelson's appeal argued that former attorney general Faris Al-Rawi promised him immunity, a pardon, and payment for his legal fees, inducing his self-incriminating statement. The court found this claim unsupported, pointing out Nelson was represented by senior counsel and waited years to file his challenge, missing the deadline by a significant margin. His legal team, led by Edward Fitzgerald, contended Nelson was tricked into confessing, while state prosecutors argued he strategically delayed for leverage. Nelson has not yet paid the imposed fine.
