Chief Justice Ian Chang yesterday ordered the police to return two hard drives and a digital camera to businessman Peter Ramsaroop which were seized during a police search almost two months ago.
Ramsaroop’s lawyer, Robert Corbin filed two motions in the High Court on June 18 requesting that the Commissioner of Police release the items. On June 21, Justice Chang granted the Nisi order calling on the Commission of Police to show cause why the items should not be returned. Subsequently, an attorney from the Attorney General’s chambers submitted to the court that he wanted to file an affidavit in answer. This request was granted and the attorney was given until Monday to file the document. Because Monday was a holiday the matter was called yesterday.
During the hearing the state counsel told the court that he was unable to file the document as he was having difficulties getting the information from the police. He requested more time to have an expert look at the items. However Justice Chang said he would hear submissions from both sides.
Following those submissions he made the Nisi order absolute meaning that the items must be returned to Ramsaroop.
Meanwhile Corbin in an invited comment to this newspaper said that it was subsequently discovered that the search warrant the police took to Ramsaroop was defective. He said that the only person who could have signed it was a magistrate but this was not the case. The warrant had been signed by a Justice of the Peace.
Corbin said that the judge subsequently said that the police could not hold someone’s property indefinitely and ordered that the items be returned to Ramsaroop.
Ramsaroop told this newspaper shortly after the court hearing that he was satisfied with the ruling of the court and said that the police deliberately “delayed the process to frustrate me”.
He said too that there was also an aim to cripple his political career. “My constitutional right has been violated. They caused me not to do work on my computer for two months”, he stressed.
The businessman said that on the day of the searches the police came looking for computers and made no attempts to look for camera equipment.
He said that yesterday’s ruling ought to be the end of the matter.
Ramsaroop added that he will use his experience to fight for others in his position who are unable to defend themselves.
Police, acting on information received, obtained and executed a search warrant on a building owned by Ramsaroop at 261 Forshaw and New Garden streets, Queenstown after a spying allegation was made against him by a 19-year-old tenant, Nicole Ming.
During a search, of Ming’s apartment three cameras were found, police said. One hidden in a clock on the wall that provided a panoramic view of the apartment, another hidden in a radio in the bathroom and a third focusing on her bed.
After the cameras were found, Ming denied that the clock and radio were hers saying that they were part of the furnished apartment.
Ramsaroop from the beginning denied all the allegations saying that at no time did he enter Ming’s apartment or had a key to it. He also said that he had told her that there was an old camera in her apartment but it was not working as the wiring had been cut.
