The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Deputy Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

AN injunction was issued by the Supreme Court on Friday barring the auction of former Member of Parliament Keod Smith’s Jeep Wrangler.

The injunction, issued by Justice Bernard Turner, prevents the provost marshal and his deputy from selling the vehicle for seven days and also orders all parties to appear before the court on Friday, May 3.

Mr Smith reported the vehicle as stolen on March 18. His attorney Carlton Martin has described the seizure of the Jeep Wrangler as illegal although Deputy Provost Marshal George Fernander, who conducted the seizure, did so after being armed with a court issued writ.

It came in response to an application by Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay, also known as Save The Bays, represented by attorney Fred Smith, QC.

The injunction was issued the day before the 2010 Jeep was to be offered in a public auction, which was announced in a notice printed in The Punch last week.

That notice said the Jeep’s auction was to take place last Saturday at the Supreme Court on Bank Lane pursuant to two writs filed by the deputy provost marshal in the registry of the Supreme Court on February 18 in reference to judicial review proceedings for the enforcement of two cost orders in favour of the Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay against Mr Smith.

“The vehicle described is in mint condition, will be sold as is and will be available for inspection at the auction site,” the notice read.

In February, Mr Smith withdrew his appeal of a retired Supreme Court judge’s order that he be committed to prison for 14 days for accusing her of bias in a series of affidavits over five years ago.

At the time, Mr Smith also withdrew his appeal concerning him having to pay approximately $500,000 in legal costs and fees to environmental advocacy group Save The Bays (STB) pursuant to former Justice Rhonda Bain’s December 2014 ruling.

And in both instances, Mr Smith was ordered by the appellate court to pay legal costs to STB. Both orders by the former judge stand as a result of his withdrawing, and the Court of Appeal consequently dismissing the two appeals, The Tribune had reported earlier.

In January 2014, Mr Smith was found guilty of contempt of court for impugning Justice Bain’s professional reputation through a series of affidavits he created in support of a recusal application from an ongoing judicial review to which he is a party.

Mr Smith, attorney for Canadian fashion designer Peter Nygard, had filed a series of affidavits claiming that Justice Bain should recuse herself from a judicial review proceeding, with him alleging that she had made a series of decisions based on her affiliation with the Free National Movement.