Senior Reporter
Former State of Emergency (SoE) detainee Star Sabga broke down in tears after learning she was finally free from house arrest yesterday, her attorney, Faris Al-Rawi, says.
Sabga was released at approximately 10.15 am yesterday, as the State began the scheduled release of SoE detainees ahead of the end of the SoE next week.
“She cried. Some of those tears were relief. Some were disbelief. Others were simply an outpouring of emotion. She saw her family members come to her and walk into her living room past two wonderful police officers,” Al-Rawi said during a media conference at his office on Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain, when asked how his client was coping with her release.
He said Sabga was still adjusting to the reality of regaining her freedom.
“Ms Sabga is experiencing a mix of emotions, and it will take some time for her to come to terms with the fact that she can lock her front door, lock her bedroom door, and not expect someone to walk in to conduct a check at 4 am while she is asleep, or at midnight,” he said.
Al-Rawi said Sabga was permitted just two family visits during her time under house arrest, each lasting 15 minutes.
“From July 23 to September 10, she had a total of 30 minutes of family time, zero hours, zero minutes and zero seconds outside her apartment, and not even a window open because they were all bolted and secured with padlocks,” he said.
“It might sound luxurious to be detained in your home, but I think we can all remember what COVID was like and what being confined to our homes felt like. It’s very different when you’re home alone and when you’re a little older, at nearly 70 years old.”
Sabga had been under house arrest since July 27. She, her niece Geneivive Hadeed, and Hadeed’s husband, Dominic Hadeed, were detained on June 27 in connection with an alleged plot to murder Government officials, including Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. The trio were initially held under Preventive Detention Orders (PDOs) at the Golden Grove Prison in Arouca.
The Hadeeds were released on July 23 after Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander revoked their detention orders, saying continued detention was no longer proportionate while investigations continued. Alexander said the decision was based on legal, medical and constitutional considerations.
No reason was given yesterday for the revocation of Sabga’s PDO.
Al-Rawi said several legal challenges arising from the matter remain before the courts. (See other story)
Among them is a constitutional challenge to Section 6(2)(b) of the Interception of Communications Act, which identifies the authorities entitled to apply for the interception of communications.
“We hold the view that that section is unconstitutional because it lacks certain safeguards,” Al-Rawi said.
He noted that law enforcement agencies can also seek judicial warrants to intercept communications and claimed the conversation relied on by investigators took place on June 11, while the interception warrant was sought and granted between June 18 and June 24.
The legal challenges, including one matter before the Privy Council, concern the issuance of the interception warrant, the execution of search warrants, the implementation of the PDOs, the interception of telephone conversations, and the State’s rejection of the State of Emergency Tribunal’s recommendation that his clients be released.
Despite Sabga’s release, Al-Rawi said it would be premature to conclude that the conspiracy allegations against his clients had been dismissed. He added that his clients are not contemplating further legal action against the State, as their ongoing matters already include claims for compensation.
Al-Rawi also stressed that his clients are not at war with the Government.
Asked whether the Government might view the matter differently, he declined to comment.
“I think that would take us down a rabbit hole that would end up in a ‘he said, she said’ situation. So, if I could respectfully not answer that question. The reason is that we’re in court, and we should allow the court to determine where we stand,” he said.
