Derek Achong
A man, who was forced to serve his entire sentence for drug trafficking before he successfully appealed his conviction due to repeated delays by prison officers in facilitating his legal challenge, is set to receive almost $1 million in compensation.
In a 38-page judgment issued yesterday, High Court Judge Margaret Mohammed ruled that the man’s constitutional right to due process of law was breached by the actions of the errant prison officers.
Mohammed said, “In my opinion the failure of the Prison Service to take positive steps to ensure that there were adequate safeguards to prevent the arbitrary exercise of power by the prison officers, resulted in the claimant being deprived of the opportunity to file his notice of appeal within the prescribed statutory period.”