Housing Minister David Lee ARRESTED, Along With Businessman Hugh Leong Poi
UPDATE (08/10/25): Housing Minister and Caroni Central MP David Lee was granted $1 million bail with a surety earlier today (Wednesday 8th October, 2025) at a High Court, while his co-accused, Hugh Leong Poi, was granted $600,000 bail. Minister Lee is said to have fallen ill on the day he was arrested and taken for medical treatment.
According to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), Commissioner of Police, Allister Guevarro, received judicial warrants around 12:15 PM today (Tuesday 7th October, 2025), for the apprehension of Mr. David Lee, the Minister of Housing and Member of Parliament for Caroni Central, and Mr. Hugh Leong Poi, the Proprietor of Sport Outlet Limited.
These warrants were filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), pursuant to Section 23(5) of the Indictable Offences (Preliminary Enquiry) Act, Chapter 12:01.
Lee and Leong Poi were initially charged in September 2022 with conspiring to deprive the State of tax revenue related to the importation of a Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG, valued at more than $2 million. At the time, Lee also faced separate charges of misbehaviour in public office and falsely claiming ownership of the vehicle to claim tax exemptions.
The arrests today follow Acting Chief Magistrate Christine Charles' decision in April, 2025, which freed Lee and Leong Poi, upholding no-case submissions from their Attorneys and ruling that there was insufficient evidence to commit them to trial.
The TTPS notes that, “In accordance with the legal mandate and without delay, both individuals were taken into custody by Officers of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, and are presently undergoing standard processing procedures.”
The TTPS said it “remains committed to upholding the rule of law and executing all judicial instructions with integrity, impartiality, and procedural rigor.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister the Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, MP, has expressed confidence in the judicial system following the arrest of Minister Lee and businessman Leong Poi earlier today, stating, “We have respect for the Courts of the land. Minister Lee was acquitted of these allegations before. Now that the charges have been relaid we have confidence in the Courts to deliver a just result.”
More on this as it becomes available.
This is a developing story - refresh this page for updates.
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