Archive for February 9th, 2013
Former TCI premier released from Rio jail
(CNS): Michael Misick, the former premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, has been released from the high security jail cell where he was being held in Brazil following his arrest on an international warrant at the end of last year. Officials in TCI confirmed that the former premier, who is wanted for questioning in connection with a corruption enquiry, was released on 8 February. “We understand that the Brazilian Supreme Court has granted him bail," the TCI authorities said. The government in Misick's home country is currently pursuing his extradition, though Misick released statements from his jail cell that he was willing to return to TCI voluntarily.
Now that he has been released it is not clear if Misick will take steps to return to Turks or remain in Brazil as the extradition takes its course. The TCI attorney general said that the legal process to get Misick back was not yet exhausted but if the former leader takes flight and leaves the jurisdiction the TCI government will be limited in their ability to secure his return.
Misick was arrested on 7 December by Brazilian Federal Police acting on a provisional arrest warrant on behalf of the TCI Special Investigation and Prosecution Team, which was set up to investigate issues arising from Sir Robin Auld’s 2008-09 Commission of Inquiry. TCI prosecutors submitted formal extradition papers on 28 January to have Misick returned.
“The position remains that he was provisionally arrested under the authority of the Supreme Court in Brazil on the basis of a lawful request and the formal requestfor his extradition has been made through the proper channels. This matter remains in the hands of the Brazilian authorities,” the governor’s office in TCI stated.
Misick had asserted that he was held in Brazil illegally, which the TCI government denied insisting that his arrest was authorised by the Supreme Court in Brazil on the basis of a lawful request from TCI. Held in a maximum security prison in Rio, Misick wrote at least two letters from his jail cell, which were made public, claiming his human rights were being infringed and accusing the UK authorities in the TCI of conspiring against him because of his support for independence for TCI from continued British rule.
Tourist hit by car sustains serious head injuries
(CNS): Updated Monday 8am – The man who was seriously injured after he was hit by a car as he crossed the West Bay Road close to the Lone Star Restaurant last night was a visitor to Cayman, the police have confirmed. According to the Canadian media, the 66-year-old man was on vacation here with friends and family from Canada and he is now being treated in Miami for extensive injuries, including serious head trauma and multiple broken bones. The driver of the car was arrested on suspicion of DUI and has since been released on bail, a police spokesperson stated Saturday. The RCIPS is now investigating the traffic incident, which happened around 10:30pm on Friday when the pedestrian was struck by a white Toyota Cavalier driven by a woman.
According to reports from the scene, the car was damaged as a result of the collision as it was traveling towards West Bay.
The man, who has been named as Dan Marce from Regina in Saskatchewan, was taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital in the first instance but he has now been taken to Miami, where according to reports, he is being treated for not only a broken skull and jaw but several other serious injuries to the rest of his body.