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Court begins Sharma PI with lawyers seeking copies of passport

Apr 27, 2010 News

By Latoya Giles
As the preliminary inquiry commenced yesterday for embattled television station owner, Chandra Narine Sharma, lead attorney Nigel Hughes made an application for certified copies of Sharma’s passport to be made available for the defence.
As a bail requirement, Sharma’s passport was lodged with the police. He also has to report twice a week to the Criminal Investigations Department.
The preliminary inquiry is being heard before Magistrate Sueanna Lovell, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
Attorney at law, Nigel Hughes, in an invited comment, said that he made an application for certified copies of his client’s passport to be made available to court.
However, Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack, who is representing the state, opposed the application.
According to Hughes, his client’s passport is an essential part of the defence and yet the prosecution insists on infringing his client’s fundamental rights to a fair trial. The lawyer said that on some of dates that the prosecution is alleging that Sharma committed the acts; he may have been out of the jurisdiction.
Hughes further said that they would now seek the intervention of the High Court and file a constitutional writ, so that he could defend the allegation.
Speaking with reporters outside of the court, Sharma refuted claims by certain sections of the media which claimed that he was faking his medical condition.
He said that he is required to be resting in bed, but he still made the effort to attend court. Sharma further said that he was never notified by the American Embassy that his visa was revoked.
On Wednesday last, Magistrate Lovell granted Sharma $2M bail, after a two hour debate between the DPP and Sharma’s defence lawyers.
Attorney at law Vic Puran had told reporters that the true motive behind the entire story was “political” and that they wanted to humiliate Mr. Sharma. Justice has nothing to do with it, he said.
He said that they initially did not want to raise the issue, but one cannot ignore the fact that every time elections are around the corner an allegation is made against Sharma.
On Tuesday last, Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson, refused to grant bail to Sharma.
After being denied bail, the accused collapsed in the prisoners’ chute and had to be rushed back to the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Over a week ago, the girls, aged five, nine, 18 and 21, as well as a cousin; aged 12, came forward with the allegation that Sharma sexually assaulted them. The eldest sister is claiming that the father of her child is C.N. Sharma.
Sharma had previously been questioned at Eve Leary in relation to the allegations of rape leveled against him by a 13-year-old girl in a signed sworn affidavit.
This course of action by the police followed reports by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Child Care and Protection Department of multiple rapes committed on four underage sisters.

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