Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) prosecutor Patrice Henry yesterday reported that the investigation into the alleged fraudulent conversion of law reports by former Attorney-General Anil Nandlall has still not been completed.
Henry made the disclosure to Magistrate Fabayo Azore in Georgetown, where the case was called.
The prosecutor, in the case against former Attorney-General
Anil Nandlall, who was charged with fraudulently converting over $2 million in law reports that were the property of the Ministry of Legal Affairs, is expected to state whether the trial will proceed indictably or not.
The charge against Nandlall alleges that, between May 8, 2015 and May 29, 2015, at George-town, being a bailee and Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, having 14 law reports, valued at $2,313,853 and property of the Ministry of Legal Affairs, he fraudulently took or converted the reports to his own use and benefit.
Henry yesterday stated that he was confident that the file will be completed by May 26 and he requested an adjournment to report to the court on whether they were proceeding indictably for a High Court trial or whether the case would be tried in the magistrate’s court.
Attorney Sanjeev Datadin, who spoke on behalf of the attorneys for Nandlall, asked that the prosecutor withdraw the charge and reinstate it when they were ready. He called the charge a violation of his client’s rights.
Nevertheless, Magistrate Azore adjourned the matter to May 29.
The charge against Nandlall was instituted three days after he was questioned by SOCU about the reports, in what he has described as retaliation due to his public criticisms of his successor, Basil Williams SC.
Nandlall has maintained that the reports were purchased for him based on an oral arrangement that he had with the then president Donald Ramotar as a condition for his taking up the post.
