Former president Bharrat Jagdeo from all indications will not be appearing as a witness in the $10 million libel suit that he filed against columnist Freddie Kissoon and Kaieteur News.
Since the hearing into the case began before Justice Brassington Reynolds last August, Jagdeo has ever entered an appearance.
At the end of the proceedings today, his lawyer, Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos in giving a time projection to the court said that Office of the President media monitor Raul Kissoon will be his final witness. Raul Kissoon had earlier testified and De Santos attempted to admit a large stack of newspaper into evidence through him.
Following De Santos’ submission to the court lead defence attorney Nigel Hughes asked if Jagdeo would be testifying. His question was met with several moments of silence before De Santos said “the plantiff’s case will be closed after (Raul) Kissoon”.
Jagdeo brought the libel suit following a June 28, 2010 article, titled ‘King Kong sent his goons to disrupt the conference’, which allegedly portrayed him and the government as racist. Kaieteur News’ editor Adam Harris and owner of the newspaper Glenn Lall were also named in the suit.
