HC Judge refuses to set aside default judgment in US$460,000 case involving Grant, Powell

High Court Judge His Lordship Mr Justice Eddy Ventose has refused to set aside a default judgment against Hon Lindsay F P Grant and Mr Jonel F H Powell of the law firm of Grant & Powell.

According to High Court documents, on December 22, 2017, Tanzania Tobin Tanzi filed a claim against Grant and Powell, alleging breach of trust, breach of fiduciary duty and failure to account or misappropriation of US$460,000 belonging to a client, Tanzania Tobing Tanzil.

Tanzil claimed that the sum of US$460,000 was transferred to the bank accounts of Grant and Powell at the St Kitts branch of First Caribbean International Bank in May 2013, for the purchase of a condominium unit under the Citizenship By Investment Programme and to secure title for the property.

The Claim form and statement of claim were served on Grant and Powell on December 22, 2017.

After hearings before a Master at various dates in 2018, the Court in February 2019, determined the terms of the default judgment and ordered Grant and Powell to pay damages. Grant and Powell filed for a stay of the order and a hearing was set for September 26, 2019 before Justice Eddy Ventose.

In his October 28, 2019 ruling Justice Ventose refused to set aside the default judgment.

He also ordered that Tanzil and Grant and Powell to make submissions on the assessment of damages for a December 12, 2019 hearing.

Hon Lindsay Grant is Federal Minister of Tourism in the Cabinet of the Timothy Harris-led Team Unity administration. Mr Powell is a Special Envoy for Sports in the three-party PLP/PAM/CCM administration headed by Dr Timothy Harris.

Tanzil was represented by Sylvester Anthony, Angelina Gracey Sookoo Bobb and Renal Edwards. Grant and Powell were represented by Brian Barnes.