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Jagdeo tenders medical certificate to avoid court appearance
…doctor ordered two weeks bed rest
Former President Bharrat Jagdeo was a no-show at a Berbice court yesterday. His lawyers reported him sick, during the continuation of the high profile case.
Dr. Kailasam Kumar reportedly issued a medical letter, ordering two weeks’ bed rest for pains to his back and other parts of his body. Dr. Kumar reportedly shares a medical practice with Dr. Vindhya Persaud, a Parliamentarian for Jagdeo’s party in the last Government.
Jagdeo is facing a private criminal charge, filed by local accountant/lawyer Christopher Ram, accusing him of allegedly making racially charged statements during a public meeting in Berbice earlier this year.
The former President appeared on May 25, at the Whim Magistrate’s Court and was made to stand in the prisoners’ dock before being placed on self bail and barred from leaving the country without the permission of the court.
The travel restrictions were later lifted after his lawyers applied to the High Court.
Yesterday, Murseline Bacchus, one of the several lawyers for Jagdeo, requested that Ram’s side make disclosures of the evidence in their possession. He said that the disclosures would include transcripts of the recording of Jagdeo’s statements made on March 8 at Babu Jaan, Corentyne, Berbice, statements from witnesses and other materials.
The closely watched case was not without its expected drama with Magistrate Charlyn Artiga yesterday warning that she will not tolerate inference from either side on the matter.
She disclosed that she had received an oral application from Jagdeo’s lawyer and later a telephone conversation from the informant last week.
She criticised both Jagdeo’s lawyer and the informant for their approach to her outside of the proper framework.
There are established procedures for making applications, she said. This is through the Clerk of the Court or through the Magistrate’s Court. She made it clear that applications will have to be made in writing.
Ram’s lawyer, Charandass Persaud, said that there will not be a re-occurrence. Ram later explained to this newspaper that the purpose of his call was to confirm what Jagdeo’s lawyer had told him about an adjournment.
On the next court date, July 13, lawyers from both sides will also have a chance to present arguments on whether the matter will be handled summarily- at the Magistrate’s Court level or be sent to the High Court for trial once enough evidence has been found for a case.
Jagdeo failed to appear in court when the matter was first called earlier this year.
However, on May 25, the second occasion, Magistrate Artiga threatened to issue an arrest warrant for him if he did not appear.
He reportedly had to rush to the court, located some 75 miles from his home in the exclusive Pradoville 2 community at Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara.
Ram, a lawyer/accountant, had accused Jagdeo of breaking the laws when he uttered statement on Sunday March 8 at Babu Jaan.
The former President reportedly said, “The opposition consistently shout about the racism of the PPP but they practice racism. The opposition beat drums at six in the morning and say let us throw out those coolie people.”
Ram charged that the statement “can result in racial or ethnic violence or hatred among the people”.
At the first hearing, Jagdeo’s lawyers had argued that the charge was frivolous, vexatious and without any basis in law. They requested that it be dismissed.
His lawyers on May 25, argued that Jagdeo is well known and is not a flight risk. He was also known as “Champion of the Earth”; had several honorary doctorates and was on the list of candidates for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic for the recently held General and Regional elections.
If found guilty, Jagdeo could be fined $100,000 and jailed for two years.
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