By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Mount Moriah MP and attorney Keod Smith yesterday said his detractors have unleashed “the hounds of hell” to assassinate his political and professional career as he rejected allegations that he was involved in efforts to intimidate a sitting Supreme Court judge as “absolute lies.”

Mr Smith was referring to allegations that he and his former client, billionaire Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard, were allegedly involved in efforts to intimidate Supreme Court Justice Indra Charles and harass her son.

At a press conference to discuss his failed bid to become the Progressive Liberal Party’s candidate for St Barnabas, Mr Smith suggested that the allegations were part of a wider plot to sabotage his candidacy bid during a time of political turmoil in the party.

“I had initially planned to come here today to speak about how my detractors had so speedily moved from political speculation to political mischief to attempts of political and professional assassination of me simply because I dared to want to represent my people,” he said.

“They almost got the better part of me, for I thought that I had to stop everything and focus my attention on fighting all and sundry who had let their greed and lust for power fool them into thinking that they could shut me up.”

He continued: “One of my supporters out of the Rock Crusher community of the St Barnabas constituency reminded me that it was my duty which now doubles up as inspiration to others in this time of political turmoil for the PLP, that requires me to stand firm despite the action of my detractors in very high places.”

The allegations were supported by Mr Nygard’s former public relations officer Earlin Williams in an exclusive interview with The Tribune, and followed an investigation by this newspaper into a report published in the St Lucia Today newspaper last year.

Mr Williams, a self-proclaimed member of the “Nygard/Keod Smith public relations machine” from 2009 to 2016, told The Tribune that he was aware of Mr Smith’s travel to St Lucia last year, and also confirmed a Whatsapp message purported to be from Mr Smith, which identified Justice Charles’ son.

Mr Williams’ claims come amid speculation over whether Justice Charles has recused herself from the ‘murder for hire’ case filed against Mr Nygard and Mr Smith by several Save The Bays directors and independent plaintiff, Rev CB Moss.

The Tribune understands Justice Charles asked Chief Justice Sir Hartman Longley to reassign the case.

Justice Charles did not preside over the case on February 16, a date she had set to hear motions for an injunction, a strike out action and the addition of an affidavit.

At that sitting, Supreme Court Justice Donna Newton presided over the matter, and it was adjourned without an explanation.

Mr Smith said yesterday: “My detractors have now unleashed the hounds of hell to spin a yarn saying that I sought to intimidate a judge on behalf of the PLP government, and some of its Cabinet ministers in the parliamentary email debacle which (allegedly) concerns millions of dollars being laundered by a fake environmental organisation.

“Lies, absolute lies. This judge thing will be addressed by me and my legal team in the natural course of things. I say nothing more about it at this time.”

The “parliamentary email debacle” refers to another ruling by Justice Charles, in which Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald was fined for infringing on the constitutional rights of Save the Bays (STB) members when he read and tabled their emails in Parliament. Mr Fitzgerald has since filed an appeal.