Another Magistrate recuses self from Winston Jordan’s trial

Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, on Thursday, recused herself from presiding over the trial of former Minister of Finance Winston Jordan who is accused of misconduct in public office.

Jordan, who served as Finance Minister under the previous APNU+AFC government from 2015 to 2020, is out on $3 million bail.

He made his first court appearance on December 28, 2021, and he was not required to plead to the charge.

Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus is the second Magistrate to recuse herself from hearing the case.

Two weeks ago, Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan recused herself from presiding over the case citing that she knows some of the lawyers involved in the case.  She then transferred the case to Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus

However, when the matter was called before Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus on Thursday, she also recused herself from the case in the interest of justice.

The matter was transferred again to the Chief Magistrate for reassignment and the case was postponed until June 2, 2022.

Previously, Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) prosecutor Tuanna Hardy had made an application for the case to be disposed of summarily in the Magistrates’ Court.

However, Jordan’s lawyers and fellow party members, Roysdale Forde S.C; Khemraj Ramjattan, Joseph Harmon, Dawn Holder-Cush and Darren Wade objected.

The attorneys asked for the matter to be transferred to the High Court for a jury trial. Jordan’s attorneys are yet to lay over their submissions.

The charge against Jordan alleged that while being the concerned minister for the government-owned National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), between February 26 and July 31, 2020, he willfully misconducted himself by acting recklessly when he signed NICIL (Transfer of Property) Order, No. 50 of 2020.