An interim injunction was granted yesterday ordering Kaieteur News to desist from publishing certain statements which attorney Basil Williams is contending are libellous and damaging to him.
Williams, in an ex-parte application to the High Court, is asking that he be granted in excess of $100 million in damages for libel contained in the August 29, 2010 edition of Kaieteur News. The newspaper, published by the National Media and Publishing Company Limited, reportedly published the libellous statements in an article captioned ‘Locked up for five years’.
The article was published following Justice Roxane George’s freeing of Nigel Forrester, who had been accused of the November 2005 murder of businessman Mahadeo Budhai.
Justice Brassington Reynolds, Williams told this newspaper yesterday, granted an order barring Kaieteur News from continuing the publication of the statements and “restraining the defendants by themselves their servants and/or agents otherwise whomsoever or howsoever from publishing any other statements defamatory of and concerning” the plaintiff.
The ex-parte application was filed on behalf of Williams by attorney-at-law Chandrawattie Persaud. The matter, Williams said, has been adjourned to November 30.
A writ, a copy of which was viewed by Stabroek News, was filed jointly against Kaieteur News, its Editor-in-Chief Adam Harris and reporter Latoya Giles yesterday. It commanded that they cause appearance to be entered on their behalf within 10 days of being served a copy of the document. It warned that in default of this, Williams may proceed and judgment may be granted in his favour in their absence.
