(Trinidad Express) Former prime minister Basdeo Panday will face a retrial on June 13 for failing to declare a London bank account to the Integrity Commission for three consecutive years while he was prime minister.
Magistrate Marcia Murray, presiding in the Port of Spain court, on Thursday set the date after listening to arguments by both the prosecution and defence, over which date would be most suitable to have the trial begin.
Panday was not in court and appeared through his daughter, also part of his defence team, Mickela Panday.
British Queen’s Counsel Sir Timothy Cassel, who is the lead prosecutor in the matter, told Murray the prosecution’s main witness—a British national—was expected to arrive in the country next weekend and would be able to testify on May 9.
He said should the matter be set to a later date, the witness may not be available.
“Without her, we have no case. She is an English witness, and we cannot force an English witness to be here,” said Cassel. Renuka Rambajhan also appeared for the prosecution.
Mickela Panday argued should the date be set for May 9, the defendant would be greatly disadvantaged since his other attorneys, David Aronberg QC and Anand Beharrylal would be unavailable “when this very important witness is called”.
In April 2006, Panday, who is accused of failing to declare the account to the Integrity Commission for the years 1997, 1998 and 1999, contrary to Section 27 (1)(b) of the Integrity in Public Life Act of 1987, was sentenced to two years hard labour on each of the charges by then Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls.
Panday spent five days at the Maximum Security Prison before being granted bail while his appeal was before the courts.
On April 9, 2008, the Privy Council ruled Panday should face a retrial on the charges.
Subsequent to this, Panday’s legal team sought to have Magistrate Ejenny Espinet recuse herself from presiding over the retrial, citing apparent bias.