Housing Minister Granted $1M Bail

This report covers housing minister granted $1m with key details and context.

Housing Minister and Caroni Central MP David Lee has been granted $1 million bail by the High Court. Lee and firearms dealer Hugh Leong Poi were rearrested by police on October 7, months after a magistrate dismissed fraud charges against them. The charges were related to the alleged abuse of a tax exemption for parliamentarians on a luxury vehicle. Leong Poi was granted $600,000 bail with his named surety approved by the court. The two appeared before Master Lisa Singh-Phillip on October 8. Judicial warrants were executed against both men on October 7, following instructions from Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard, SC. Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro received the warrants around 12.15 pm. Lee surrendered to police just before 3 pm at the Police Administration Building, Port of Spain, where the warrant was executed. Leong Poi was arrested at his home in South Trinidad. The DPP’s application was made under Section 23(5) of the Indictable Offences (Preliminary Enquiry) Act, which allows the prosecution to seek to reinstate a matter dismissed at the magistrates’ court once a judge reviews the evidence. After they were processed, attorneys for both men applied for bail. According to the warrant issued by Justice Hayden St Clair-Douglas, Leong Poi, together with another person, were charged with conspiracy to defraud and misbehaviour in public office. On April 7, Charles upheld no-case submissions by defence attorneys, discharging the duo on allegations of conspiracy to defraud the State of $1.4 million in taxes tied to the importation of a Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG valued at over $2 million.

housing minister granted $1m: key developments so far.