State to pay $150,000 over pardon petitions delay

A CONVICTED prisoner has been awarded $150,000 after the High Court found that the State’s prolonged failure to properly progress his petitions for a presidential pardon was in breach of his constitutional rights.

Justice Westmin James made the ruling last Friday, after finding that the failure to advance and determine the petitions of Uraz Mohammed through a constitutionally compliant process infringed his right to protection of the law under section 4(b) of the Constitution.

The judge also found that the failure to progress his accepted petitions to a stage where he could participate meaningfully in the process, while earlier release remained possible, deprived him of procedural protection required under section 5(2)(h).