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<span style="font-weight: bold">News Source: OTGNR - </span>
<span style="font-weight: bold"> Confirmed : Senior Deputy DPP gi...; Coke (RJR)...</span>
Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Jeremy Taylor on Tuesday morning delivered a blow by blow account of the sequence of events leading up to August 2009 when the United States authorities made a formal request for the extradition of Christopher Dudus Coke.Mr. Taylor, who heads the unit which handles extradition matters in the Office of the DPP, was giving testimony on Day Six at the Manatt/Dudus Commission of Enquiry. Step by stepThe Senior Deputy DPP outlined the steps taken to prepare the various documents, following a 2009 request from United States law enforcement authorities for Mr. Coke's arrest. Mr. Taylor said after receiving the information he contacted officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to confirm whether a formal request for arrest had been made. The deputy DPP said following a conversation with Foreign Affairs employee Herman Lamont, he received a document by bearer from US authorities, which contained a photocopy of a set of documents outlining a request for Mr. Coke's arrest. He said he examined and prepared an authority to proceed as well as a warrant for arrest, as the issue involving Mr. Coke had taken on an air of urgency. Mr. Taylor told the Commissioners that during this time Mr. Lamont sought assistance to get the extradition documents to the Ministry of Justice as quickly as possible, and that subsequent arrangements were made to have a policeman transport them. Media alerted?Eyebrows were raised when Mr. Taylor revealed that he had been contacted by RJR Reporter Clinton McGregor, questioning whether a request had been made for Mr. Coke's extradition. Mr. Taylor said he did not confirm nor deny the query but quickly sought the intervention of a senior colleague. The Deputy DPP says following a meeting he left for the Ministry of Justice after being informed that the request from the authorities was forwarded. Mr. Taylor said he armed himself with the relevant documents that were necessary for the Minister's signature, including the warrant to proceed for Coke's arrest. Request unsigned He said he was unsuccessful in his attempts to speak with the Justice Minister and was later advised by a Ministry official that the documents would not be signed. Mr. Taylor said on September 2, 2009 he was contacted by Solicitor General Douglas Leys who outlined a series of issues outlining why Attorney General and Minister of Justice Senator Dorothy Lightbourne had declined to approve the request for Mr. Coke's arrest and extradition.He later outlined a series of events which led to a lengthy delay in the process, but later led to the extradition request being signed culminating in the apprehension and subsequent arrest of Coke, After an initial delay Mr. Coke through his Attorney waived his rights which resulted in him being handed over to United States law enforcement authorities.
<span style="font-weight: bold"> Confirmed : Senior Deputy DPP gi...; Coke (RJR)...</span>
Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Jeremy Taylor on Tuesday morning delivered a blow by blow account of the sequence of events leading up to August 2009 when the United States authorities made a formal request for the extradition of Christopher Dudus Coke.Mr. Taylor, who heads the unit which handles extradition matters in the Office of the DPP, was giving testimony on Day Six at the Manatt/Dudus Commission of Enquiry. Step by stepThe Senior Deputy DPP outlined the steps taken to prepare the various documents, following a 2009 request from United States law enforcement authorities for Mr. Coke's arrest. Mr. Taylor said after receiving the information he contacted officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to confirm whether a formal request for arrest had been made. The deputy DPP said following a conversation with Foreign Affairs employee Herman Lamont, he received a document by bearer from US authorities, which contained a photocopy of a set of documents outlining a request for Mr. Coke's arrest. He said he examined and prepared an authority to proceed as well as a warrant for arrest, as the issue involving Mr. Coke had taken on an air of urgency. Mr. Taylor told the Commissioners that during this time Mr. Lamont sought assistance to get the extradition documents to the Ministry of Justice as quickly as possible, and that subsequent arrangements were made to have a policeman transport them. Media alerted?Eyebrows were raised when Mr. Taylor revealed that he had been contacted by RJR Reporter Clinton McGregor, questioning whether a request had been made for Mr. Coke's extradition. Mr. Taylor said he did not confirm nor deny the query but quickly sought the intervention of a senior colleague. The Deputy DPP says following a meeting he left for the Ministry of Justice after being informed that the request from the authorities was forwarded. Mr. Taylor said he armed himself with the relevant documents that were necessary for the Minister's signature, including the warrant to proceed for Coke's arrest. Request unsigned He said he was unsuccessful in his attempts to speak with the Justice Minister and was later advised by a Ministry official that the documents would not be signed. Mr. Taylor said on September 2, 2009 he was contacted by Solicitor General Douglas Leys who outlined a series of issues outlining why Attorney General and Minister of Justice Senator Dorothy Lightbourne had declined to approve the request for Mr. Coke's arrest and extradition.He later outlined a series of events which led to a lengthy delay in the process, but later led to the extradition request being signed culminating in the apprehension and subsequent arrest of Coke, After an initial delay Mr. Coke through his Attorney waived his rights which resulted in him being handed over to United States law enforcement authorities.