Caribbean News Now!

By Caribbean News Now contributor

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands -- Attorney General Huw Shepheard has rejected claims that former Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) premier Michael Misick is being held in Brazil illegally following his arrest by Brazilian authorities in Rio de Janeiro last December.

“Michael Misick continues to assert that he is being held in Brazil illegally. That is not true. His provisional arrest was authorised by the Supreme Court in Brazil on the basis of a lawful request and the formal request for his extradition has now been made through the proper channels. I am informed that he has had the opportunity to apply for bail and was refused. That was a decision for the Brazilian court, exercising its own independent judgement and applying its own laws,” Shepheard said.

"There have been continued statements, comments and speculation about the Michael Misick case. He and others are free to make any public statements they wish, subject to the laws of contempt of court. The SIPT [special investigation and prosecution team] and I do not have the same freedom. Neither they nor I will use the media as a forum to explain or dispute his version of the SIPT's contacts with his solicitors, or to comment on the evidence against him. No prosecuting body in any properly conducted jurisdiction would do this. We are accountable to the court of trial and until then, we will not make any public statements that could prejudice those proceedings,” he added.

Following his arrest, Misick has been held in custody by authorities in Brazil pending the outcome of the extradition request by Britain to return him to the TCI for questioning in connection with allegations of malfeasance while in office.

Misick has been since engaged in a letter writing campaign from prison stating his willingness to return to the TCI by means of a private plane chartered by his family.

Reads: 1508


Tweet