Commenting on the Court's decision, Ramlogan said the ruling may
be the first time since the Courts have pronounced on the discrimination of a person's religious rights.
"This case brings to the forefront the issue of prison reform in
a different way because it underscores the way in which prisoners are treated despite the fact that they retain most of the
fundamental human rights whilst in prison," he added.
Ramlogan said it was now for the prison authorities to put measures
in place to accommodate prisoners who may want to practice their religion while in jail.
Justice Amrika Tiwary-Reddy had dismissed the constitutional motion
filed by Belfonte on June 11, 2004 saying that he had alternative remedies available to him to argue his case.
In his lawsuit, Belfonte, of Guaico Tamana Road, Cunaripo, Sangre
Grande had claimed that his fundamental rights had been infringed after he was arrested and kept in prison for 22 days before
authorities found out that he had already paid outstanding fines for two previous marijuana possession convictions.
"The deprivation of liberty flowed from the fact that he remained
in custody for a longer period than was necessary or reasonable because of the failure of the police to inform him of his
right to an attorney," the judgment stated.
Sharma stated that the trial judge "simply held" that the motion
filed by Belfonte was an abuse of the process of the court and did not allow his attorneys to amend the action. He said the
trial judge was wrong to have dismissed the motion in its entirely.
"A trial judge in my view should make every effort to save the proceedings
where it is just and reasonable to do so. Matter of procedure are to be kept flexible in order to do justice between the parties,"
he added.
"Striking out for an abuse of process must be a last resort," the
judgment said.
Belfonte had been convicted on two separate charges of being in
possession of marijuana in 1997 and fined a total of $1,450. He paid $300 initially and submitted a Manager's cheque to a
police officer at Sangre Grande Magistrate's Court in December 1997 for the outstanding balance of $1,150.
On November 3, 1998, Belfonte was arrested, without being informed
of his right to retain an attorney, for failing to pay the outstanding fines and taken to prison.
During his term in prison Belfonte was beaten by prison authorities
and had his dreadlocks, which he wore for religious reason, cut off against his will. He was also deprived of his vegetarian
diet which went against his practices of his Rastafarian religion.
On November 25, 1998, he was released from prison after the fine
was paid by the same officer whom he claimed he had given the Manager's cheque in December 1997.