Rajaee accuses prison authorities of blocking lawsuit

ALLEGED gang leader and murder accused Rajaee Ali has accused prison authorities of blocking him from providing an affidavit in support of a lawsuit he has filed over his treatment in prison.

On Wednesday, Ali, through his attorneys Lemuel Murphy and Roshan Tota-Maharaj, filed an application asking for an emergency hearing to challenge the decision by the prison authorities to deny him a meeting with a commissioner of affidavit to accompany his attorney to authenticate a statement in support of his lawsuit. A hearing of the application was set for Friday, however, it is understood that Ali’s attorneys were contacted by officials at the prison and told the commissioner of affidavit will be allowed to accompany the attorney so that Ali’s affidavit can be authenticated.

According to the application, Tota-Maharaj, on two occasions, sought permission to have the commissioner accompany him to the prison to meet with his client. After receiving no response, the application said Tota-Maharaj, nevertheless, went to the Maximum Security prison, in Arouca, on September 11 and was allowed to see Ali. However, the commissioner of affidavit was refused.

The application accused the prison authorities of blocking Ali in his lawsuit against the commissioner. It alleged that the refusal was unlawful and contravened Ali’s rights to be heard before a judicial authority and protection and equality of the law.