In a twist of events, CN Sharma’s long awaited appearance in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court was on Wednesday adjourned due to the lack of stationery at the court.
Despite desperate efforts by the court’s orderly to secure paper on which depositions were to be prepared, none could be found.
The defendants, witnesses, as well as the prosecution and defence attorneys were all present for the hearing and the court had indicated its readiness to continue with the proceedings when the orderly informed that the stationery had finished and no more was in stock.
Wednesday’s proceeding was aimed at dealing with the carnal knowledge, witness tampering and obstruction of justice matters involving Sharma as well as the witness tampering charge against Tyrone Ali in the said matters.
The matters were adjourned to November 15.
At Wednesday’s hearing also, Sharma’s attorney Nigel Hughes presented to the court, a petition which he filed in the High Court regarding Sharma’s constitutional rights as relates “some statements made by the president” in relation to the carnal knowledge matter against his client.
A document bearing the petition was shown to State Prosecutor Sanjeev Datadin, who, when asked by Magistrate Geeta Chandan Persid-Edmond, said that he was aware of the proceedings taken in the High Court. Datadin acknowledged also that according to the principles of law, High Court petitions and proceedings, because of its jurisdiction, would take precedence over the proceedings of the Magistrates’ Court and as a result will consider the petition filed.
Being severely hindered from the execution of their duties due to a lack of stationery however, Magistrate Persid-Edmond told the court that on Monday she will rule on the matter based on the submissions made by Hughes.
On April 26, Sharma was charged with attempting to obstruct the course of justice.
It is alleged that on April 15, he knowingly attempted to obstruct the course of justice by removing two of the girls at the centre of sex abuse allegations against him from their known address and taking them to a house at 123 Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara in order to prevent them from being questioned by police.
The magistrate had granted him $100 000 bail. On July 1, Sharma was arraigned on another charge of witness tampering and was released on $150 000 bail.
Several weeks ago, he was reported to have suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized locally for a brief period in September.
The High Court subsequently granted him permission to leave the country to seek medical attention. Sharma, in the care of his wife Savitri, spent some time in Trinidad being treated.
