The Law Association has described Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds claim that "criminals have friends" in the Judiciary as "grossly unfair" and "reckless."
In a statement on Friday, the Law Association said the minister's comment can "undermine public confidence in the Judiciary and benefits no one."
The association's criticism follows a statement issued by the Judiciary on May 4 which said the minister's claim has the "dangerous effect of undermining public trust and confidence in the Judiciary and the rule of law."
Saying it was constrained to comment as the matter was now under appeal, the association said it joined with others in "condemning the recent statement by the Minister of National Security."
"It was while discussing the role of the police and the decision of the court in the Brent Thomas case, the Honourable Minister blurted out that the criminal elements have friends in the judiciary. It would have been impossible for the listening public to exclude the possibility that the Minister was suggesting that the learned judge in the Brent Thomas case was somehow doing the bidding of the criminal element," the statement said.
On May 1, Hinds in an address to the nation on state-owned TTT commented on the ruling of Justice Devindra Rampersad in favour of arms dealer Brent Thomas. The judge struck down the criminal case against Thomas who had been charged with possession of grenades and automatic rifles and condemned the actions of the investigating police officers.
The judge also found Thomas was "abducted" from Barbados where he had gone awaiting a flight to the US to see his cardiologist.
Commenting on this aspect of the judge's ruling, the association said it joined "with other members of civil society in expressing its deep concerns over the matters" which arose in the Thomas case.
"The court found, and the State appears not to have disputed, that Mr Thomas, who is not accused of committing any offence in Barbados, was arrested by members of the Barbados Police Service at a time when he had lawfully entered that country and was then delivered up to members of the TT Police Force at the Grantley Adams International Airport. On any account, this constitutes the unlawful abduction of a citizen of TT from a friendly neighbouring state in violation of the extradition laws of that country. That much has been admitted by the State," the statement said.
The association said it welcomed the decision of the Police Complaints Authority to investigate the circumstances of how Thomas was removed from Barbados and returned to TT on request by the police.
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