The Judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago has provided data to indicate that contrary to assertions by many that judges were granting bail in murder matters in most cases, the actual data proves otherwise.
Court executive administrator, Master Christie Anne Morris-Alleyne, provided the Joint Select Committee on National Security with the data during the committee’s inquiry into the criminal justice system.
Master Morris-Alleyne said, that from May 2022 to May 2023, of a total of 698 matters for murder coming to the courts, only 39 persons were granted bail. That translates to 5.59 % of those charged for murder getting bail approved.
Master Morris-Alleyne, declined to comment on the recent Bail Bill not being approved for an extension in the Parliament saying that the court believed it was inappropriate to do so.
She also indicated that the Courts were in discussions for the creation of specialised courts to deal with domestic violence and human trafficking, as these were areas of increasing concern due to rising numbers of these types of offences.