Manning’s day in court

Sources revealed yesterday that attorneys representing the Chief Justice in the judicial review application plan to summon Prime Minister Patrick Manning, Attorney General John Jeremie and Director of Public Prosecutions Geoffrey Henderson to the witness stand to be cross-examined.

This will be the first time that Manning, in his two stints as Prime Minister, will be called to give evidence in a case brought against him.

Although Manning was named as defendant in several cases in the last two years, sources said the Chief Justice issue was different because of the issues before the court.

Sources pointed out that based on the statements submitted by Jeremie and Henderson to the Prime Minister earlier this year, and the manner in which Manning went about making representation to President George Maxwell Richards to have a tribunal appointed, the court would need to hear from all the players before making a final determination.

Newsday was also informed that Sharma will also be summoned to the court to give evidence and to subject himself to cross-examination by attorneys representing the Prime Minister.

On Tuesday, attorneys representing the Chief Justice filed an application seeking leave for judicial review.

The following day, Justice Humphrey Stollmeyer, sitting in the Port-of-Spain First Civil Court, granted leave for Sharma to file for judicial review.

Justice Stollmeyer also blocked the appointment of a three-member tribunal to investigate allegations of misconduct by the Chief Justice.

On April 1, Manning told the House of Representatives that based on legal advice, he informed the President that the allegations against Sharma needed to be investigated and that a tribunal would be appointed.

By letter dated April 12, Manning informed the President of the names of the tribunal members — a retired Chief Justice of India, a law lord who retires in May, 2006, and a Jamaican lawyer, now a Court of Appeal judge in Belize.

In granting leave to the Chief Justice, Justice Stollmeyer ordered that the matter be dealt with expeditiously in the public’s interest. Sharma’s lawyers were expected to file his full motion yesterday. Manning is to respond to Sharma’s affidavit by April 27. The judge set April 28 as the next date of hearing.