A date for the trial against former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall in relation to the acquisition of Commonwealth Law Reports during his term in Office was today (Monday, May 29, 2017) set.
Two weeks ago, the case was adjourned pending statements from the prosecution however, the prosecution is still awaiting some outstanding statements.
The Prosecution claimed some four statements were outstanding and it intends to file those statements once they become available.
Nandlall appeared before Magistrate, Fabayo Azore where he was given an option to choose whether he wanted his trial to be in the Magistrate’s Court or in the High Court, before a Judge and a Jury.
The Former AG asked that the matter be tried in the Magistrate’s Court and the date; June 08, 2017 was immediately set for the commencement of trial.
The charge of fraudulently acquiring and converting to his own use, Commonwealth Law Reports belonging to the State was read again to which Nandlall pleaded not guilty.
The Reports were acquired by Nandlall during his term in the Office of Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs.
He previously stated that he commenced subscribing to Lexis Nexis (U.K.), publishers of the Commonwealth Law Reports sometime in 2003, and the arrangement is that the Reports are shipped to him along with an invoice.
He noted that before his appointment as Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, he requested that as a condition of his service, the State stands this expense and this was agreed to.
The items were taken with him when his party demitted office in May 2015. This, he said was communicated to the relevant authorities, but the government believes the act of removing the books which were bought using $2.3 million of state funds amounts to theft.
