Former Director of Public Prosecutions for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Mr. Justice Raymond Colin Williams, has been appointed as an ad hoc judge in the Turks and Caicos Islands to preside over major confiscation proceedings arising from the Special Investigation and Prosecution Team (SIPT) trials.
Her Excellency Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam administered the oaths of office on Thursday morning, October 15, 2026, acting on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission.
Justice Williams’s appointment comes directly ahead of confiscation hearings scheduled to begin on October 26, 2026. The proceedings target three high-profile figures convicted in the SIPT corruption probe:
- Former Premier Michael Misick, facing potential confiscation demands of approximately $40 million.
- Former Cabinet Minister McAllister “Piper” Hanchell, facing claims of about $6 million.
- Attorney Thomas Chalmers “Chal” Misick, facing potential confiscation orders exceeding $83 million.
Combined, the Crown is seeking to recover more than $129 million. The court will assess the evidence during the hearing to determine the exact sums, if any, each individual must forfeit.
The three men were convicted on February 4, 2026, and subsequently sentenced on May 29, 2026, by Mr. Justice Rajendra Narine. Under the initial trial judgments, Michael Misick received four years and 26 days in prison, Hanchell received three years, and Chalmers Misick was sentenced to four years.
Although Justice Narine was originally slated to hear the confiscation phase, judicial authorities confirmed he would not preside over the financial recovery proceedings, necessitating Justice Williams’s appointment as ad hoc judge.
Justice Williams brings extensive judicial experience across multiple Caribbean jurisdictions to his new role. He served for 15 years as Director of Public Prosecutions in his native St. Vincent and the Grenadines before joining the Supreme Court of Belize in 2018, where he was tasked with addressing a backlog of criminal matters.
In March 2021, he joined the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, presiding in Antigua and Barbuda prior to his assignment to Dominica’s criminal division in September 2023. Over the course of his career, his judicial portfolio has encompassed high-profile murder trials and complex financial corruption cases.
