-after court presented with stay of proceedings
After being granted a stay by the Court of Appeal, on the matter against former AttorneyGeneral Anil Nandlall, on the charge that he fraudulently converted over $2 million in law reports, a city magistrate on Friday adjourned the scheduled hearing.
It has been three months since Nandlall was called upon to lead his defence, since in November 2018, he was informed by Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore that a prima facie case had been made out against him.
The Guyana Police Force’s Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) has alleged that Nandlall fraudulently converted 14 law reports valued at $2,313,853, property of the Ministry of Legal Affairs, to his own use and benefit between May 8, 2015 and May 29, 2015, at Georgetown.
Nandlall’s attorney, Neil Boston, who is leading the defence in association with Glenn Hanoman and others, had previously made no-case submissions.
Last December, lawyers for Nandlall moved to the High Court to have the charge thrown out, while also asking for a stay of the pending Magistrates’ Court proceedings until a decision is made.
However, Justice Dawn Gregory-Barnes declined to grant an application for a stay in the fraud proceedings against Nandlall in the Magistrates’ Court, on the ground that a single judge in chambers does not have the jurisdiction to grant such a request.
Attorneys representing the accused later filed an application to the Court of Appeal in relation to the said matter. During Friday’s court proceedings, attorneys representing the accused presented to the magistrate a copy of the stay of proceedings.