Nandlall attends PPP pre-manifesto launch over court case

Nov 30, 2019 News

Yet another adjournment was granted to former Attorney General Anil Nandlall, as he skipped his court hearing yesterday to attend the launch of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) pre-manifesto.

Anil Nandlall

Nandlall was supposed to report on his application to the Appeal Court for him to not lead a defence in his matters.
He is on trial in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore for the alleged theft of Law Reports from the State.
In the absence of the defendant, attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes apologised for Nandlall and stated that he was not present at court based on the fact that he was attending to a matter of ‘national significance and personal importance’.
As a result, he asked for an adjournment in the matters and this was granted by the magistrate. The case will be recalled on January 10, 2020.
Previously, Nandlall had asked for an adjournment in his matters as his application to the Appeal Court for him to not lead a defence in his matters is still with that court.
He had said that on October 1, last, the Court of Appeal heard arguments from the defendant as to why he should not lead a defence. However, a date was not set for ruling in relation to the arguments that were heard.
Nandlall added that an extension of stay in the Magistrates’ Court matter was not sought nevertheless; he was willing to get that done.
According to the defendant, it will be on the better side for the magistrate to grant an adjournment rather than to proceed with the matter and the Court of Appeal rules in his favour, which will quash the proceedings in the lower court. To this, the magistrate had agreed and adjourned the matter.
It is alleged that Nandlall, between May 18 and May 29, 2015, in the then capacity of Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, fraudulently converted 14 Commonwealth Law Reports, 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 Organised 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.
Nandlall’s lawyers then approached the High Court for a stay to be granted in the matter, but Chief Justice Roxane George, dismissed the appeal against a no-case submission that was overruled by Magistrate Fabayo Azore in the trial.
Attorney-at-law Glenn Hanoman is representing the defendant in the matter. 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.

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