SHERVON PETERS, one of the nine men who were collectively awarded just over $20 million, after suing the State for malicious prosecution in the Vindra Naipaul-Coolman murder case, has said the judgment can’t compensate for the years he and his former co-accused spent in prison.
In a WhatsApp call with Newsday on Tuesday, Peters said the main issue was highlighting the deplorable conditions in prison for those accused of crimes and not yet convicted.
[caption id="attachment_998711" align="alignnone" width="940"] Shervon Peters[/caption]
“Twenty million dollars between nine men is no setta money. That can’t compare to what we went through.
“The money is not the issue yuh know. This judgment will show how the State is delaying cases and the effect it has on prisoners.”
High Court Master Martha Alexander on Monday awarded a total of $19,168,917.56 for malicious prosecution and exemplary damages, along with $200,917.56 in legal fees, and $68,000 for an expert witness.
She also ordered that interest be added to the damages for each man, at a rate of 2.5 per cent, from May 29, 2020 – when the claim was filed – to January 30. The sum amounts to more than $20 million.
Peters, his brother Devon, Anthony Gloster, Joel Fraser, Ronald Armstrong, Keida Garcia, Jameel Garcia, Marlon Trimmingham and Antonio Charles were among 12 men who went on trial in 2016 for Naipaul-Coolman’s murder. The men were all from Upper La Puerta, Diego Martin.
Two other men – Earl "Bobo" Trimmingham and Lyndon "Iron" James – were ordered to be re-tried.
Allan "Scanny" Martin, who was also on trial, was killed in 2016, minutes after he and two others shot their way out of the Port of Spain prison. In October 2021, Gloster was killed in a drive-by shooting in Diego Martin.
The State failed to put up a defence against the claim, which acting Attorney General Stuart Young said will be investigated.
The nine were represented by Anand Ramlogan, SC, Renuka Rambhajan, Ganesh Saroop and Natasha Bisram.
[caption id="attachment_998705" align="alignnone" width="916"] Attorney Anand Ramlogan, SC, who represented the men accused of murdering businesswoman Vindra Naipaul-Coolman. File photo[/caption]
In July 2021, Justice Joan Charles entered judgment in favour of the men and sent the matter to a master for assessment. During the assessment their attorneys called clinical psychologist Isolde Ali Ghent-Garcia who, as their expert witness, testified to the mental anguish the men suffered while in custody.
She testified that the prison conditions included overcrowding, poor ventilation, poor lighting, poor diet, inhumane prison transport, lack of airing, poor sleeping conditions, lack of medical attention and unsanitary cells.
Peters told Newsday on Tuesday that while in prison, he lost everything including his wife and home.
He said his wife got tired of waiting for him to be released and decided to move on with her life. This, he said, was very embarrassing. His home was sold in order to pay his legal fees.
“You supposed to be inno
