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Nandlall theft of law reports… Matter further deferred
Accused: Anil Nandlall
The trial for the alleged theft of the law reports by former Attorney General and People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament Anil Nandall, was further deferred as Judges in the Appeal Court are preparing for the hearing of the No Confidence Motion at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
The matter is currently before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
When the matter was called, the attorney-at-law for Nandlall, Glenn Hanoman, told the court that the appeal against the magistrate’s decision for the accused to lead a defence into his matter has not yet been heard by the Appeal Court.
As a result, the matter was adjourned until May 24, next, for the continuation of his trial where Nandlall is expected to lead his defence.
The former Attorney General is accused of fraudulently converting Commonwealth Law Reports belonging to the state to his own use and benefit.
It is alleged that Nandlall, between May 18 and May 29, 2015, being a bailee in the then capacity of Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, fraudulently converted 14 Commonwealth Law Reports valued at $2,313,853, property of the Ministry of Legal Affairs, to his own use and benefit.
Nandlall has pleaded not guilty to the allegation and is out on self-bail, pending the outcome and determination of the trial.
Late last year, Magistrate Azore ruled that Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) Prosecutor, Patrice Henry, was able to prove every element of the offence. In the circumstances, Nandlall was called upon to lead a defence.
However, Nandlall lawyers moved to the High Court to appeal the case so that a stay can be granted into the matter, but Chief Justice Roxane George, dismissed the appeal against a no-case submission.
The defence then moved to the Appeal Court where an interim stay was granted into the proceedings before the magistrate.
Nandlall was previously reported as saying that when he took up the post of Attorney General, he did so at a loss, and 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 an agreement between Nandlall and Ramotar, and 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.
Nandlall was charged after SOCU, an arm of the Guyana Police Force, completed investigations.
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