The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A SENIOR attorney began legal arguments in the Supreme Court yesterday for three men challenging the composition of the Court of Appeal judges who upheld an extradition order demanding their surrender to the United States to face drug trafficking charges.

Maurice Glinton, QC, and lawyer for indicted men Trevor Roberts, Devroy Moss and Shanto Curry, appeared before Justice Vera Watkins concerning the constitutional motion of his clients who are formally challenging the ability of Justice Abdulai Conteh to sit and hear the appeal, on which the court has since made a decision.

Glinton himself was found guilty of contempt by the aforementioned court concerning said issue and has a pending appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council concerning a series of exchanges between himself and Justices Anita Allen, Conteh and Neville Adderley on September 28, 2015.

These judges, in November, upheld the Magistrate’s and Supreme Court’s decision to approve US federal prosecutors’ decade-old request for the extraditions of Melvin Maycock Sr, Wilfred Ferguson, Carl Culmer, Lynden Deal, Brenden Deal, Shanto Curry, Sheldon Moore, Gordon Newbold, Roberts, Curry and Moss.

The appellate court ordered the committal of the accused men to the Department of Correctional Services to await hand-over to the US.

Committal proceedings began when they were apprehended in 2008.

Only Roberts, Moss and Curry have yet to be surrendered, however, as they filed the constitutional motion in advance of the appellate court’s decision.

Mr Glinton, yesterday, extensively referred to the transcripts of appellate court proceedings concerning his clients and the issue of Justice Conteh’s ability to preside over the appeal.

He claimed that transcripts illustrate how, on the issue, “judges on the panel have descended into the well and have become advocates”.

“It would appear this was a matter in which the court was insisting on being judge and advocated on an issue that affected Justice (Abdulai) Conteh personally,” the senior lawyer added.

The proceedings were adjourned to today at noon for the continuation of Mr Glinton’s arguments and for a response from the Crown.

Deputy Director of Public Prosecution Franklyn Williams appears for the Crown in these proceedings.