Politics: Trinidad and Tobago
Published Tuesday, 10 November 2026 · Source: statement by Housing Minister David Lee; High Court of Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago’s Housing Minister, David Lee, says he will not resign after a High Court judge ruled that his fraud prosecution can go ahead. Lee says he will appeal the 4 November ruling and insists that no court has found him guilty.
The charges concern a luxury Mercedes-Benz imported in 2019 and about TT$1.4 million (Trinidad and Tobago dollars; about US$211,000) in unpaid taxes and duties. The opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) wants him to quit or be removed from Cabinet.
Key Facts
- Who. David Lee, Trinidad and Tobago’s Housing Minister, says he will not resign.
- Ruling. On 4 November a High Court judge ruled the prosecution can proceed.
- Charges. Misbehaviour in public office and conspiracy to defraud the State; Lee denies them.
- Amount. Alleged unpaid taxes and duties: about TT$1.4 million (US$211,000).
- Next. Lee plans to appeal; the Prime Minister decides whether he stays in Cabinet.
A procedural court ruling has revived a case first brought in 2022 against a sitting minister, and the question of whether he stays now rests with the Prime Minister.
In plain English
Lee is accused of using a parliamentary tax break to import a luxury car. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is the state’s top prosecutor, the People’s National Movement (PNM) is the opposition party, and a no-case submission is a defence argument that the evidence is too weak for trial.
What Happened This Week
Lee said the court’s decision concerned a legal procedure and that “no court has determined that the allegations against me have been proven.” He has not been found guilty of any offence.
Justice Westmin James of the High Court dismissed Lee’s judicial review and constitutional challenge on 4 November. He found that the Director of Public Prosecutions, Roger Gaspard, acted within his legal authority, and that Lee had no right to be heard before the arrest warrant was issued.
The ruling did not decide guilt or innocence. It cleared the way for the criminal case to continue.
How the Case Got Here
Lee and businessman Hugh Leong Poi were charged in September 2022 over the import of a Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG in 2019. Prosecutors allege that Lee falsely claimed ownership of the vehicle, valued at more than TT$2 million (about US$298,000), to benefit from parliamentary tax exemptions.
The alleged losses to the State are TT$293,094.02 in value added tax, TT$298,650 in motor vehicle tax and TT$824,548.62 in customs duties. Together that is about TT$1.4 million (US$211,000, at a market rate of TT$6.72 per US dollar), and both men deny the allegations.
In April 2025, Acting Chief Magistrate Christine Charles upheld a no-case submission after a four-day preliminary enquiry and discharged both men. She ruled that prosecutors had not presented enough evidence to send the matter to the High Court for trial.
The DPP then moved to have the case reinstated, and both men were re-arrested in October 2025 after a High Court judge issued warrants for their arrest and committal for trial. Lee argued that the legal provisions used were no longer in force and that he was denied a chance to be heard.
Lee’s Case for Staying
Lee says the magistrate found the prosecution’s evidence inherently weak in April 2025. He also says the DPP applied on the last day allowed and did not tell him.
His lawyers have advised him that there are substantial grounds for an appeal with good prospects, he said. The PNM wants him to resign or to be removed from Cabinet while the case continues.
What It Means for You
For readers abroad, this is a political-risk story rather than a market event: a sitting minister in a Caribbean country faces a live criminal case. Investors, expats and anyone planning to buy property in Trinidad and Tobago should watch whether the Cabinet changes the ministry’s leadership.
The ruling concerns the criminal case only and says nothing about housing policy. Any change at the ministry would be a decision for Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
What Is Not Known
It is not yet clear when a trial or an appeal hearing would take place. No response from the Prime Minister to Lee’s statement was available at the time of writing.
More: Trinidad and Tobago news in English; who holds power in Trinidad and Tobago; the refinery reopening heading to Cabinet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is David Lee?
David Lee is Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Housing. He faces charges of misbehaviour in public office and conspiracy to defraud the State, which he denies.
Has David Lee been convicted?
No. A High Court ruling on 4 November allowed the prosecution to continue, but it did not decide guilt or innocence.
Will David Lee resign?
Lee says he will not step down and plans to appeal. Whether he stays in Cabinet is a decision for Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
What is Lee accused of?
Prosecutors allege he falsely claimed ownership of a luxury Mercedes-Benz imported in 2019 to obtain parliamentary tax exemptions. They put the loss to the State at about TT$1.4 million (US$211,000).
Sources: statement by Housing Minister David Lee; High Court of Trinidad and Tobago, ruling of 4 November 2026 (Justice Westmin James); exchange rate of TT$6.72 per US dollar, 10 November 2026.
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