(Trinidad Guardian) Tourism Minister Dr Rupert Griffith will reappear before a Port-of-Spain magistrate on July 4 after he pleaded not guilty to using insulting language. The charge was issued via a summons dated March 8. Griffith allegedly committed the offence during an incident on March 8 at Dock Road, Port-of-Spain, near the waterfront, where Parliament is housed. Griffith appeared before magistrate Cheron Raphael in the Port-of-Spain Third Court yesterday. Accompanied by his attorney Om Lalla, Griffith arrived in court shortly after 9 am. When the matter was called at 9.20 am, court prosecutor, Sgt Gale Charles, was unable to offer any recommendations in the absence of the complainant and the file. “We will be seeking the assistance of the Director of Public Prosecutions in this matter,” said Charles.
Lalla said there was no reason to consider bail as the case was not one of high priority and Griffith was well known and had indicated his willingness to attend court. Raphael agreed she would not consider bail but warned it would take sometime to appoint a state counsel, hence the long adjournment date. Griffith initially said he would be unavailable on July 4, as he might be out of the country and Raphael reminded him he would need the court’s permission to leave its jurisdiction. “Regardless of who he may be, he is a defendant before this court,” Raphael said to Lalla, who in turn told the court Griffith would be present at the next hearing.
