Grenada's legal adviser attacks judge's ruling

by Leroy Noel

Wednesday, March 31, 2004

ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada: Legal adviser to the Grenada government and special prosecutor Jamaican Hugh Wildman has attacked the decision of High Court judge Justice Kenneth Benjamin who ruled that 13 former army and government officials of the defunct People's Revolutionary Government had their constitutional rights violated and set aside their sentence. 

The judge also ordered that the convicted men be brought back to court within 42 days to be sentenced. He ruled that the failure of the court of appeal to give a written judgment also violated their rights.

The 13 were part of 17 persons convicted of the death of former Prime Minister Maurice Bishop and several of his cabinet colleagues in October 1983. 

During a program on national television Wildman strongly criticized the judge's ruling. But president of the Grenda Bar Association Ruggles Ferguson says the conduct of Wildman is unbecoming as a member of the bar to publicly criticize a judge for his ruling when it is known that he cannot reply to his criticisms.

Mr. Ferguson indicated that the matter will be raised during the next meeting of the Grenada Bar Association.

Meanwhile former president of the bar Anselm Clouden has issued a call asking to have Mr. Wildman disbarred for his outburst against the judge's ruling in a public forum. He reminded that it is not the first time that the Jamaican attorney has been critical of judges. Dominican born judge Justice Brian was also severely criticized by Mr. Wildman.

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