The High Court has dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed by former presidential aide Pramati Noe, her husband Antonio Piccolo, and their company, Italian Import & Export Ltd, against Trinidad Express Newspapers Ltd. Justice Robin Mohammed ruled that the articles in question were not defamatory and were protected under the principle of responsible journalism. The case originated from five articles published by the Express between September 21 and 29, 2016, which alleged that Noe and Piccolo’s company supplied wine to then-President Anthony Carmona’s official residence and that Noe was dismissed as his private secretary after ten months of employment. Noe, who served as the President’s private secretary from 2013 to 2016, claimed the reports falsely implied cronyism and misconduct, damaging her reputation and that of her company. The Express defended its reporting, stating the stories were in the public interest and protected under the Reynolds privilege, which safeguards fair and responsible reporting on matters of public concern. In his ruling on November 5, Justice Mohammed noted that the claimants failed to identify specific defamatory passages and instead summarised alleged falsehoods. He also found that while two articles could suggest impropriety, a later report, which included President Carmona’s public denial of any wrongdoing by Noe or her company, effectively removed the defamatory sting. Justice Mohammed concluded that the Express’ journalists acted responsibly, relied on credible sources, and reported on a legitimate issue concerning procurement practices at the Office of the President. He dismissed the claim in full and ordered costs payable to the media house.