Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall was on Monday granted a stay of the proceedings before the Magistrate’s Court, where he has been charged with the alleged fraudulent conversion of law reports valued more than $2 million.
The stay was granted by the Court of Appeal and will have effect until that court fully hears and determines Nandlall’s appeal to the charges levelled against him.
That appeal hearing is set to commence on October 1st.
Nandlall had previously been granted an interim stay by the appellate court but it expired on March 20th.When the case came up for hearing before Magistrate Fabayo Azore last Thursday, Nandlall was a no-show and the court indicated that an arrest warrant would be issued for him if he is absent on June 28th, the next date set by the magistrate for the matter to continue.
The magistrate had alluded to the fact that while Nandlall had been previously granted a stay of the proceedings before her, it expired in March.
On Monday, however, Nandlall was granted the other stay.
At last Thursday’s hearing before Magistrate Azore, Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) Prosecutor Patrice Henry requested an adjournment and asked that a notice be sent to Nandlall to inform him of his next court date.
He further stated that should Nandlall fail to show up on the adjourned date, a request will be made for an arrest warrant to be issued, with which the Magistrate agreed.
Nandlall’s lawyer, Glenn Hanoman later issued a statement to say he had been unaware that a date had been fixed.
In November of last year, Nandlall had been called upon to lead his defence after he was informed by Magistrate Azore that a prima facie case had been made out against him.
The charge against Nandlall alleges that between May 8th, 2015 and May 29th, 2015, at Georgetown, 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.
