Attorney-General Basil Williams was yesterday granted leave to respond to submissions made by lawyers for former president Bharrat Jagdeo who are seeking to prevent Magistrate Charlyn Artiga from hearing a private criminal charge against him.
Williams along with Deputy Solicitor General Prithima Kissoon appeared on behalf of the Corentyne magistrate and made the application before Justice Sandra Kertzious in the Berbice High Court to submit an affidavit in answer to submissions made by Jagdeo’s lawyers.
The application was granted by Justice Kertzious and the matter was adjourned until August 14th.
Attorney Christopher Ram had filed the private charge against Jagdeo, accusing him of using racially divisive statements at a public meeting at Babu John on March 8th, 2015 and which could have resulted in racial or ethnic hatred among the people.
Jagdeo’s battery of attorneys had petitioned the magistrate for the charge to be dismissed as they argued that it was bad in law and should not be allowed.
The magistrate, however, overruled the submissions and decided to proceed with hearing the case.
On June 26th, following a move by Jagdeo’s attorneys, Justice William Ramlal issued an order that put the proceedings on hold until the determination of the High Court hearing.
Attorney Mursaline Bacchus, one of the lawyers representing the former president, filed two notice of motions to prevent the magistrate proceeding with the hearing of the charge.
As a result, temporary orders were issued directing the magistrate to show cause why an order should not be issued to prevent her from proceeding in the matter and why an order should not be issued quashing her decision or ruling in the proceedings.
Bacchus had argued that the section does not make out an offence hence, there can be no conviction.
None of the parties in the matter appeared in court yesterday but they were represented by their attorneys. Bacchus and attorney Adrian Anamayah represented Jagdeo.
