A High Court Wednesday granted Housing Minister Dr. David Lee bail in the sum of one million dollars (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents) less than 24 hours after he was arrested by police on charges relating to tax exemption for parliamentarians on a luxury vehicle.
Businessman Hugh Leong Poi, who was also arrested with Lee, was also granted TT$600,000 bail.
Housing Minister Dr. David Lee
The two men appeared before Master Lisa Singh-Phillip where the minister was granted bail with one surety, while Leong Poi was granted bail with his named surety approved by the court.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad says she remains confident that the courts will ‘deliver a just result’ with respect to Lee, who along with the businessman, had been taken into custody by police on Tuesday.
‘We have respect for the courts of the land. Minister Lee was acquitted of these allegations before. Now that the charges have been relaid we have confidence in the courts to deliver a just result,’ she said in a brief statement.
On Tuesday, the police said that judicial warrants had been issued for the ‘apprehension’ of Lee and businessman Hugh Leong Poi.
The statement gave no details why the warrants were issued , but added that ‘in accordance with the legal mandate and without delay, both individuals were taken into custody by officers of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, and are presently undergoing standard processing procedures.
‘The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service remains committed to upholding the rule of law and executing all judicial instructions with integrity, impartiality, and procedural rigour,’ the statement said.
Opposition Leader, Pennelope Beckles, has called on Prime Minister Persad Bissessar to immediately inform the country whether Lee will continue to serve as a minister of Government while facing criminal charges.
Businessman Hugh Leong Poi stands next to the Mercedes G wagon at the center of the court case.
Prior to the April 28 general election, Lee was cleared of fraud charges related to tax exemptions on his vehicle as a parliamentarian.
Acting Chief Magistrate Christine Charles dismissed the charges of conspiracy to defraud and misbehaviour in public office after upholding a no-case submission presented by Lee’s legal team, led by Wayne Sturge and Mario Merritt.
The magistrate ruled that the prosecution presented insufficient evidence to sustain the charges or proceed to trial. She also acquitted Leong Poi of Sport Outlet Limited, who faced a joint charge with Lee for conspiracy to defraud.
In September 2022, authorities accused the pair of conspiring to defraud the state of TT$1.4 million (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents) in tax revenue related to the importation of a Mercedes Benz G63 AMG, valued at over two million dollars.
The charges involved TT$293,094.02 in Value Added Tax (VAT), TT$298,650 in motor vehicle tax, and TT$824,548.62 in customs duty.
Prosecutors had alleged that Lee falsely claimed ownership of the vehicle to benefit from tax exemptions granted to MPs. The alleged offences occurred between 24 March and 8 June 2019.
Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Roger Gaspard, had appealed the acting Chief Magistrate’s ruling and according to the warrant, issued by Justice Hayden St Clair-Douglas, he was of the opinion that the evidence before acting Chief Magistrate ‘was sufficient to put the said Hugh Leong Poi together with another person, on trial for conspiracy to defraud and misbehaviour in public office.
‘This is to command you forthwith to apprehend Hugh Leong Poi and to convey the said Hugh Leong Poi to the Port of Spain Prisons.and there deliver him to the keeper of the said prisons together with this warrant,’ according to the warrant that was signed by the judge on October 6.
The first physical appearance of the two men before the High Court will be scheduled once the DPP formally files the indictment, confirming the matter is proceeding to trial.