Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter
DEPUTY SOLICITOR-GENERAL, Patrick Foster, yesterday asked the Court of Appeal not to entertain legal arguments from Montego Bay businessmen Leebert Ramcharan and Donovan 'Plucky' Williams that the Extradition Act was unconstitutional.
Mr. Foster raised a preliminary objection yesterday to the constitutional point in the appeal brought by the men against their extradition orders. He said that every point in relation to the act was raised in another case in the Court of Appeal, recently, and the Court of Appeal had already ruled that the act was not unconstitutional.
COURT TO RULE ON ISSUE TODAY
Lawyers, including Frank Phipps, Q.C., are responding to the objection and the court is expected to rule on the issue today.
The men are wanted in the United States to face drug charges. In June 2004, they were ordered extradited to the U.S. following a hearing in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court. It is being alleged that they were involved in the trafficking of cocaine from Jamaica to the U.S.
They are appealing a Supreme Court ruling in September, last year, which turned down their application to have the extradition orders set aside.
Ramcharan and St. Ann businessman Norris 'Deedo' Nembhard have been designated drug kingpins by U.S. President George W. Bush. They are among 10 persons and organisations identified by Mr. Bush as engaged in drug trafficking and against whom sanctions will be imposed according to the powers vested under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act.
