Panday goes to jail

But his wife Oma, former Government minister Carlos John, and businessman Ishwar Galbaransingh gladly accepted their bail and were out of the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court in a flash. Galbaransingh and John were charged with corruptly giving 25,000 pounds Sterling to the Pandays as an inducement or reward, while Panday and his wife were charged with corruptly receiving the money.

It was a busy day for the police, court officials, and the magistrate, as the four accused persons made separate appearances. John, Panday and Galbaransingh appeared before Senior Magistrate Ejenny Espinet in the Port-of-Spain First Court, and were remanded to June 7.

Oma Panday reached the court too late to appear before a magistrate. She appeared before a Justice of the Peace who ordered that she appear before a magistrate this morning.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau on Henry Street, Port-of-Spain, was a bee hive of activity yesterday. There was high expectancy as months of investigations by acting Insp John Telesford had come to an end.

Carlos John, a former minister of works in the UNC Government and TIDCO Chairman, arrived at the bureau with his attorney Sophia Chote at 10.40 am. The laying of the charge did not take long as John was escorted to court for an appearance before the magistrate at 11.48 am.

The arresting officer was not in court. Chote said she was informed by Senior Supt Maurice Piggott (head of the bureau) that Telesford was on enquiries and could not attend court. The magistrate said she did not appreciate information on a complainant coming from the defence.

The police prosecutor said she spoke with Piggott that morning, but had no information on the complainant.

Espinet said she looked at John’s bail and saw no reason to adjust it. The former minister was granted $750,000 bail with a surety which he accepted. He was subsequently released. He told reporters that he was innocent and left everything in God’s hands.

Next in court was Panday. He made his grand appearance at 2.02 pm with attorney Prakash Ramadhar. He was held at the Opposition Leader’s Office on Charles Street, Port-of-Spain, by members of the Anti-Corruption Bureau and taken to their office to be processed.

With Panday in court, his supporters started arriving — Wade Mark, Ken Emrith, Manohar Ramsaran, Robin Montano, Jennifer Jones-Kernahan, Chandresh Sharma, Sadiq Baksh, Roy Augustus, and FIFA vice-president Jack Warner.

While Ramadhar was seated at the bar table, Panday appeared before Espinet, who read the charge. In response, Panday said, "I am unrepresented, I am not going to get an attorney, I will represent myself throughout these proceedings."

The magistrate said $750,000 bail was fixed and she adjourned the matter to June 7. Panday went downstairs and everyone thought he was going to be processed. Instead, word soon came that the Opposition Leader decided not to secure bail, and go to jail.

As Ramsaran put it, "When Mr Panday makes up his mind, it is hard to convince him to change that."

Meanwhile, Galbaransingh, who was one of the accused in the Piarco Inquiry, was held by police in court and taken to the Anti-Corruption Bureau to be processed. He returned to the court with his attorney Rajiv Persad and appeared before Espinet. The charge was laid and bail was fixed in the sum of $1 million.

Galbaransingh later hustled out of court after securing bail.

Oma Panday was the last to arrive. She was accompanied to the bureau by attorney and Member of Parliament Kamla Persad-Bissessar. However, there was no magistrate in the building, so she had to appear before the Justice of the Peace.

She was able to secure her $750,000 bail and left the court building after 5 pm, Oma will have to appear before Magistrate Espinet this morning.

A small crowd gathered outside the court when word spread that Panday preferred to spend the night in jail, but the prison vans left without the former prime minister. A police car assigned to the Anti-Corruption Bureau, reversed in the court yard. A smiling Panday emerged, with one hand in the air. When asked how he felt, the exuberant Panday replied, "Didn’t we all expect this."

He was then carted off to the Port-of-Spain State Prison where he spent last night in the infirmary section of the prison.