Michael Misick, a former premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, has been granted bail prior to his trial on corruption charges.
Mr. Misick led the TCI from August 2006 until March 2009, but he, along with other government ministers, was later accused by the United Kingdom of having enriched himself at the public’s expense.
The terms of his bail were not released publicly, but several TCI newspapers have estimated that the amount totaled at least $10 million, which was reportedly paid by several TCIslanders.
Mr. Misick’s initial bail request was rejected, but it was allowed after an appeal to the TCI Supreme Court, according to Caribbean Journal.
According to a 266-page report published by a UK commission of inquiry, Mr. Misick and some of his ministers allegedly committed bribery and sold millions of dollars’ worth of Crown land for personal gain.
Though he reportedly fled, first to the Dominican Republic, Mr. Misick was arrested in 2012 by police in Brazil and later extradited back to the TCI.
He is expected to face trial in the coming months and is scheduled to reappear in a TCI court on March 7.
Some of Mr. Misick’s assets, including land holdings and bank accounts, were frozen in June 2012 as part of the corruption investigations. Four ministers who served in Mr. Misick’s government – Floyd Hall, Jeffery Hall, Lillian Boyce and Samuel Been – were also arrested in 2012 and also face trial.
After the commission’s findings were made public, the UK suspended democratic rule in the overseas territory, granting administration to the TCI governor.
The territory returned to domestic rule in 2012 with an election that brought the Progressive National Party, which Mr. Misick formerly led, back to power. The government is now led by Dr. Rufus Ewing.
{fcomment}