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Nandall’s lawyer objects to cop being deemed expert in handwriting analysis -as stolen Law Reports trial continues
Former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall
Attorney-at-law, Sase Gunraj objected to Police Corporal Ameer Mohamed being deemed an expert in handwriting analysis, when the trial of former Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall continued before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore, yesterday.
Nandlall is accused of stealing $2M in Nexis Lexis Commonwealth Law Reports from the state; he has been released on self bail, and has denied stealing the items.
When the trial continued yesterday in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts; Special Prosecutor, Patrice Henry called Corporal Mohamed to testify. Corporal Mohamed who is stationed at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters has been attached to the Handwriting Section for the past three years.
According to the policeman, he has had full time on the job training—both practical and theory—in the field of handwriting analysis. To date, Corporal Mohamed disclosed that he has examined over 200 documents that were presented in the Magistrates’ Courts and High Courts throughout the country.
After disclosing this information, Special Prosecutor Henry requested for the witness to be deemed an expert. But Attorney-at-Law Gunraj objected. The lawyer is scheduled to disclose his grounds for objections when the trial continues on Feburary 13.
Also testifying yesterday was Chief Accountant at the Ministry of Finance, Neelkumarie Etwaroo and Trevor Cadogan, a driver at the Ministry of Legal Affairs. Etwaroo told the court that among other things, some of her duties include making payments to non sub-accounting agencies such as the Ministry of Legal Affairs and the Ministry of Social Protection.
She testified to knowing one Frank Nurse, who she disclosed is employed at the Ministry of Finance as a Voucher Clerk. The Chief Accountant recounted that on April 26, 2017, she was given certain instructions by the Accountant General. As a result, she said she received nine vouchers for the Ministry of Legal Affairs from Nurse which she photocopied and made certified copies. She recalled the vouchers were for the periods 2013, 2014, and 2015.
The vouchers were later tendered as exhibits in the trial.
Cadogan, during his testimony, said that he received the vouchers from Etwaroo and took them to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Legal Affairs.
According to Nandlall, when he was appointed AG, he did so at a loss. It was for that reason he agitated for the state to pay for the Law Reports. He had said that the arrangement received the blessings of then Head of State, Donald Ramotar.
However, investigators are contending that because the books were bought with state funds, they cannot be the property of Nandlall and in fact the state should not have entered into such an arrangement in the first place. The Ministry of Legal Affairs is contending that there is no evidence of the agreement between Nandlall and Ramotar.
Even assuming that there was such an agreement, the use of public funds in this manner is a flagrant violation of the Financial Management and Accountability Act (FMAA).
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