Nandlall moves to High Court to quash search warrant

Attorney Anil Nandlall has moved to the High Court to quash a search warrant the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) has obtained to search his property to locate, among other things, the 15 law reports he is alleged to be unlawfully keeping.

Yesterday, Nandlall approached the court of Justice Franklin Holder seeking that an Order of Rule Nisi of Certiorari be issued and directed to Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

The order, if granted, will ask Magistrate McLennan to show cause why the search warrant issued by her should not be moved to the High Court for the purpose of being quashed on the grounds that it was issued in excess of jurisdiction being contrary to and in violation of a Conservatory Order of acting Chief Justice Roxane George SC.

According to the submission this Conservatory Order was first made on April 25, 2017, and extended on May 10, 2017, and on June 11, 2017.

The search warrant had been granted to Special Superintendent of Police Brian Vieira of SOCU.

The police confirmed on Tuesday that the planned searches were abandoned after Nandlall became aware of the search warrants.

According to the police on June 27, 2017, SOCU officers were to conduct simultaneous searches of residences controlled by the former attorney general in an ongoing effort to recover the Law Reports of the Commonwealth, which were allegedly stolen prior to him demitting office in 2015.