AG: DPP keen to use new Evidence Act in white-collar crime

DIRECTOR of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard wants the Evidence (Amendment) Bill 2020 to be promptly used to pursue white collar criminals, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi told Newsday on Sunday.

After the House of Representatives last Friday passed the bill, already approved by the Senate, Newsday asked the Government and Opposition what comes next.

At a briefing at the Opposition Leader's office in Port of Spain on Sunday, Newsday asked if the Opposition's support for the bill now meant they would support other anti-crime bills such as a revived Anti-Gang Bill.

Mayaro MP Rushton Paray said the Opposition will consider each bill on a case-by-case basis.

"We'll support good legislation. Each piece of legislation will be dealt with on an individual basis."

Paray said the Opposition's role ultimately helps the Government to pass good legislation.

In an interview on Sunday, the AG's focus was on the DPP's call for parts of the bill to be quickly proclaimed, as described in the DPP's recent letter to Al-Rawi as, "sorely needed to address legal issues currently before the courts and under investigation."

"Those are for the big bomb that has been buried at the moment, the white-collar crime cases, the massive white-collar crime cases, which if you didn't amend the law would take you 20 years to admit the evidence to court."

The AG said the DPP had praised the bill's provision for the admissibility of computer evidence. The AG said this was crucial in the complex white-collar Clico and Piarco inquires.

Asked if the government intends to table any more anti-crime bills, Al-Rawi said, "There's a package of legislation that I am asking Cabinet to approve this week." He gave few details but said it has been long in the making, by way of policy, consultation and drafting.

"We'll be bringing those forward, subject to Cabinet's approval, with immediacy."

Al-Rawi said past changes to the law had facilitated long-distance testimony as occurred in the judge-only trial in the Sean Luke murder last Friday,

"A retired police officer gave evidence from the US as an inter-State trucker. He gave evidence and was cross-examined in his cab at a truck-stop."

On calls to regulate PH drivers, the AG trumpeted relevant laws enacting a demerit points system, a database and RF tags in car licence plates.