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ONE day after being released on $150,000 bail on two criminal charges of sexual misconduct, attorney Martin George claimed that, as a public figure, he was being "pulled down" with what he claimed to be a false allegation.
"One hundred per cent innocent. That's my declaration to the nation in this matter," George said at a media conference on July 10.
"There is a deep-rooted context to this, I am from a family where both my parents were school principals and icons in the education landscape in Tobago. When my father died at a young age of 44, our family was led by my mother who was a pillar and stalwart of the Catholic and education community in Tobago. And she instilled in us all a set of core values and principles which remain with me up to today."
George, 58, spoke at his Dundonald Street, Port of Spain office, sitting alongside his fiancé Alicia Motie, a school teacher, but declined to answer any questions after reading from a prepared script on his tablet with a warm cup of tea at the side.
Saying that he grew up with a mother and six sisters, George professed his "respect for females has always been part of my ethos and my character" and said he had three daughters who were around the same age as the alleged victim. He said his law firm comprised mostly women, and his interaction had always been "courteous, professional and polite...
"We live in dangerous and treacherous times. And the easiest thing is for a female to make an allegation of sexual misconduct against a male, and then the man is left fighting for his life trying to defend his name, character and integrity," he said.
"We have seen these allegations made against all kinds of public figures internationally, some with merit, but then again, there are some who are hopelessly unmeritorious and false that they seem to me made because the person is a public figure whom you are trying to pull down.
"Unfortunately, we of the Afro diaspora have a particular penchant for pulling down our own, and in this case, it is no different."
"It is undeniable in TT I am very much a public figure. And the challenge with the current way in which we deal with these things is that the mere allegation is enough for many people to take it and run with it without waiting for proof or waiting for the justice system to take its course."
George said he was not going to change his position to comment on public matters.
Asked by Newsday whether he subscribed to the principle in the criminal justice system that an accused is innocent until proven guilty and whether he thinks his public statements could be seen as an attempt to influence a pending court matter which is to be heard before a judicial officer, George stood up and said the press conference was over.
He referred all other queries to his new lead attorney, Pamela Elder SC, when asked what was the purpose of the press conference.
Motie, who initially sat to George's left, appeared uncomfortable when asked questions about her emotions and conversation with George after he was charged.
[caption id="attachment_1165765" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Attorney Martin George, accused of sexual misconduct, speaks to the media at a press conference at his Dundonald Street, Port of Spain office on July 10, alongside his fiance, Alicia Motie, a school teacher.[/caption]
She said she could not answer those questions.
George also announced his wedding date as December 27 and invited members of the media to attend the nuptials.
The public's initial reaction to George's press conference, which was shared by the media, was one of ridicule and contempt.
Senior lawyers questioned the purpose and said it seemed to do more harm than good.
One senior attorney, after viewing a video about the wedding plans, asked in a WhatsApp chat, "Is this guy for real?"
Another asked, "What was the purpose of the news conference? To announce your wedding and say that African men have false allegations made against them from time to time, as part of some dark diabolical design by unknown and unseen players to pull down black men?"
"Trinidad is a La La Land," the lawyer said.
A comment by one Facebook user under a video of the press conference said, "The last time I saw a red flag that big was when Trinidad and Tobago qualified for the World Cup."
George was arrested at his Port of Spain office on July 8 and later charged with grievous sexual assault and indecent assault. He was then represented by attorneys Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, SC, and John Heath, SC.
The offence is alleged to have taken place on March 22, at the very office where George hosted the media conference to declare his innocence.
He appeared before High Court Master Indira Chinebas on July 9, and as part of his bail conditions, he was instructed not to directly or indirectly contact the victim, a young attorney, whose identity cannot be revealed under the Sexual Offences Act. He was also ordered to stay 500 metres away from the victim.
The matter was adjourned to October 7 for a status hearing. Copies of the summary of the state's case against George and a copy of the information laid by W/Cpl Dyonisia Ashby in compliance with the requirements of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act began circulating on WhatsApp chats shortly after George appeared in court.
Details of the alleged offence, the name of the victim, and other information are contained in the summary of the state's case.
George is the the founder of the Tobago Business Chamber, a former member of the Police Service Commission, former vice president of the Tobago Lawyers Association, former vice president of the Tobago Division of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, chairman of the Police Service Commission Appeals Tribunals which determine cases surrounding decisions of the Commissioner of Police on matter of promotion and discipline.
He is the founding chairman of CrimeStoppers International for the Caribbean region, served as a member of the Constitutional Committee of Self-Government in Tobago and was appointed by the President as a member of the Law Reform Commission. He is often interviewed by the media on a range of topics including crime, business and Tobago affairs and wrote a weekly column for the Guardian newspaper.
 
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