Vice-president of the Industrial Court Ramchand Lutchmedial pleaded not guilty when he appeared before Chaguanas Magistrate Brahmanand Dubay charged with failing to submit a specimen of breath for a breathalyser test on Friday. Lutchmedial was charged by PC Sammy of the Chaguanas Police Station contrary to Section 70B(5) of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act.
Lutchmedial, who was represented by Nicholas Rampersadsingh, Yaseen Ali, and his daughter Jayanti Lutchmedial, came into the courtroom from a side entrance used by attorneys and police officers. He had with him a court marshal who insisted that members of the media display their identification badges before the matter was called.
Yaseen told Dubay his client has been a member of the legal fraternity for the past 36 years and had no previous or pending charges before any court. He requested his client be granted bail and allowed to leave on his on cognisance. Ali added that Lutchmedial had his driver’s permit taken away when he was arrested only to be returned yesterday afternoon and asked for disclosure in the matter. Dubay then granted Lutchmedial $5,000 bail.
Court prosecutor Sgt Ken Ali requested that the matter be adjourned to a date soon where all material relevant to the case would be disclosed to the defence so that the matter would be expedited. The case was then adjourned to January 12. According to police report , Lutchmedial was stopped on Friday night on Derek Road, Chase Village, Chaguanas, during a routine police exercise by officers of the Central Division.
He was allegedly asked by the officers at the scene to present a specimen of breath. Police claimed he refused after which he was charged.
