State to pay TT citizen for immigration lock-up

A DOMINICA-born, Trinidadian citizen will receive a little over $.3 million for several breaches to his constitutional rights when he was imprisoned by immigration at the Immigration Detention Centre (IDC) in Aripo for 159 days.

Justice Ricky Rahim, on Thursday, ordered the State to pay to Gerard Scott $310,000 in compensation.

Scott, 62, who was born in Dominica but became a Trinidad citizen in 1976, sued the State for violations of his constitutional rights when he was arrested by immigration officers on July 13, 2015, after he was released from the Port of Spain Prison.

He was taken to the IDC where he was detained for 159 days.

Scott argued that immigration officers failed to investigate the facts of his immigration status and nationality before arresting him.

In evidence at the trial, Scott, a retired teacher, denied the claims made by the State and said he has been living in Trinidad since 1976, when he came here at the age of 19.

He is the holder of a TT passport and a TT identification card. He said he begged the immigration officers to verify his citizenship, but they refused to do so.