Divorces granted without judge’s knowledge

Mar 27, 2009 News

Justice Roxanne George on Monday wrote to Chief Justice Ian Chang seeking a review of all divorce cases that purport to indicate that she had heard them and made orders.
Justice George was referring specifically to divorce cases filed by attorney at law Lennox Hanoman.
This development comes out of revelations that three such matters filed by the attorney had flysheets which indicated that the matters were fixed before Justice George and were heard by her. There was also an indication that she had granted nisi orders. However, it has turned out that the judge never heard the matters and therefore could not rule on them.

This is yet the second case of massive corruption that has been unearthed in the High Court within the past two weeks, following the recent revelations of an adoption case fraud in which the Registrar of the Supreme Court, Sita Ramlal, and former Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Norman Mc Lean, have been implicated.
In her letter to the Chief Justice, Justice George cited Action 1112/08-D Huntley (Shonnet Hyacinth) nee Thomas v Huntley (Damian Allistair) came up before her on March 20, last, for a decree absolute to be granted. The judge noted that a perusal of the flysheet indicated that the handwriting on it was not that of her Registrar.

A further check of the judge’s divorce minute book was made and the Registrar confirmed that the judge had not heard the divorce nor had she made any nisi order for the matter, which was filed by Mr Hanoman.
Justice George added that on the same day, due to the vigilance of clerks in the Registry, it was noted that the handwriting on the flysheets of two other proceedings, which were also filed by the same attorney, were different from her Registrar’s.
Again it was confirmed that the matters were never heard by Justice George nor had she granted nisi orders in relations to them.

The judge said that she has since spoken to the Registrar and Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court, and this was followed by formal notifications of the irregularities.
She said that none of the marriage certificates in the cases mentioned is marked as having been tendered.
Justice George registered her dismay and grave concern at the developments.
This newspaper understands that senior officials at the Supreme Court Registry have indicated that they will be mounting a full investigation into how the irregularities occurred with a view to ascertaining who are involved.

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Divorces granted without judge’s knowledge

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