Nandlall Law Books case adjourned to May 29; Prosecution given time to secure witness statements

Former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall is exploring avenues to have the charge of fraudulently acquiring and converting to his own use, Commonwealth Law Reports belonging to the State dismissed.

Nandlall was charged last month with theft (larceny by bailee) of the Law Reports but during his second appearance in Court today (Tuesday, May 9, 2017), the Prosecution could not provide any statements to support the charge.

Prosecutor Patrice Henry was forced to ask Magistrate Fabayo Azore to put off the matter until May 29 so that the Prosecution could secure those statements.

The Prosecutor told the open Court that investigations were still ongoing.

This prompted Nandlall’s Attorney, Sanjeev Datadin to immediately ask the Magistrate to have the charges dismissed.

Datadin said when there is a completed investigation and the statements were obtained the charges could be re-instituted.

He now wants the Special Organised Crime Unit to explain on what grounds the charges were instituted.

His request for the charge to be dismissed was not granted by the Magistrate who adjourned the matter until the Prosecutor’s requested time.

Once outside the Courtroom, the opposition MP reiterated that the charges were nothing less of political witch-hunt.

He was backed up by his colleague MPS, Priya Manickchand and Juan Edghill.

Nandlall said he may move to the High Court to have the charges quashed as he insists that the Law Reports were bought by the State and are now his property, in keeping with an arrangement between himself and former President Donald Ramotar.

The Reports were acquired by Nandlall during his term in the Office as 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.