Defence counsel for the three former New Building Society (NBS) managers who have been charged in a multi-million dollar fraud case are asking for one preliminary inquiry (PI).
The PI was yesterday adjourned until next week by Magistrate Nyasha Williams-Hatmin so that the defence attorneys could present authorities to show that the magistrate has the power to conduct a single PI instead of four. There are four conspiracy-to-defraud matters before the court for the men.
Former Director/Secretary Maurice Arjoon of 1-2 La Fleur Road, Eccles; Assistant Mortgage Manager Kissoon Baldeo, 38, of 86 Zeeburg, West Coast Demerara and Operations Manager Kent Vincent of 1247 Canje Pheasant Lane, South Ruimveldt are charged with conspiracy to defraud the New Building Society of $69 Million.
The magistrate had indicated that she was assuming that the prosecutor was proceeding with four different inquiries since there were four matters before the court.
Hukumchand responding stated that he would leave it to the court’s discretion on how to proceed.
He added that there are four different transactions but they all relate to one account. In the circumstances, he said, the court can take this into account and deal with it as one.
Defence attorney Anil Nandlall made an application for the information to be joined to have a single PI since he said the facts are identical. The attorney said that the court can join the matters and dispose of it in one process.
Attorney-at-law Basil Williams also adopted his colleague’s position.
The magistrate then asked for authorities to show that the matters can be taken together.
Earlier the court was informed that attorney-at-law Bernard De Santos, SC was unwell and could not be present to further cross-examine the witness who had begun testifying on the last occasion.
Special prosecutor Hukumchand had called his first witness Atma Lall Rajaram, the audit manager to testify.
The case continues on October 9.
