TRINIDAD-COURT-Judge to rule in lawsuit involving Prime Minister Rowley next year.

A High Court judge has set March 8 next year as the date when she will deliver her ruling in a defamation lawsuit brought against Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley, by an oppisition legislator, Dr. Roodal Moonilal.

Moonilal brought the lawsuit against Rowley that was filed three years ago, after Prime Minister Rowley allegedly accused him of benefiting financially from the purchase of a property known as Eden Gardens in Freeport in west central Trinidad from Point Lisas Park Ltd by the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) in 2012 for TT$175 million (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents). Also named as defendants in the claim are the Trinidad Express Newspapers, its editor-in-chief Omatie Lyder, as well as reporter Anna Ramdass, who wrote the story on January 6, 2020.

Justice Carol Gobin set the date for delivering her decision after she gave directions for filing submissions. Both Rowley and Moonilal had testified on the first day of the trial.

On Tuesday, Ramdass said she contacted Prime Minister Rowley about calls by Fixin T and T founder, Kirk Waithes for him to fire a senior member of his cabinet.

In cross-examination by Moonilal's lead attorney, Larry Lalla, SC, Ramdass said the Prime Minister told her to contact Waithe and have him provide her with the WhatsApp exchanges.

She said she understood the prime minister to be raising questions involving corruption by several people and not specifically one person.

Ramdass also said...