Arrest of daughter a matter of political posturing – Bayliss

The father of Senator Vynnette Frederick is of the view that the arrest of his daughter is a matter of political posturing.{{more}}

Bayliss Frederick spoke to the media on Wednesday, while he and others awaited the arrival of his daughter at the Magistrate’s Court in Kingstown, shortly after she had been charged with three counts of perjury.

He said that the decision to arrest Frederick, former Public Relations Officer of the New Democratic Party (NDP) and lawyer, was a blatant disregard for rules.

The octogenarian, himself a lawyer and lead counsel for about six other attorneys representing his daughter, said “There is a matter before the appeal court right now; a matter in which she took the prime minister to court for the very subject of this perjury thing,” he told the media.

“The evidence to support her case to the appeal court is the same evidence that they are alleging now is a perjury for which they have arrested and charged her.

“You cannot, while a matter is ‘sub judice’ in the appeal court, go and take any action at all. But they have defied that rule and charged her for the very subject matter which the appeal court, if it pronounces in her favour… these charges will automatically evaporate, which is stupid,” Frederick said.

However, one lawyer, who did not wish to be identified, told SEARCHLIGHT that Frederick had made an application to the Appeal Court for leave to appeal to the Privy Council, which is different from having a matter before the appeal court.

Frederick said that he believes that police wanted to keep his daughter at the police station for as long as possible, until the court had been adjourned for the day, so that she would have to spend the night in jail, to return to court the next day.

He said that this was to humiliate his daughter, and show that they had the political power to have her detained.

“Vynnette is unrelated to jail in every sense. For her to spend a night in jail is…. No, no, she mustn’t sleep in jail,” the concerned father said.

After more than three hours of waiting, the Senator arrived at the court house, accompanied by members of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).

She pleaded not guilty to all the charges laid before her.

She was released on $10,000 bail, with one surety, her father.

Frederick is due to return to court on November 16.

She is being represented by her father, Mira Commissiong, Nicole Sylvester, Maia Eustace, Samantha Robertson, as well as a number of other lawyers expected from overseas, her father said.(JJ)