Bank employee summoned to produce documents

When the inquiry resumed yesterday in the Port-of- Spain Magistrates’ Court, lead attorney for the prosecution Edward Jenkens QC, was expected to present documents as evidence at the request of the defence. However, Jenkens told presiding Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls, that he (Jenkens) was being obstructed by the Central Bank in procuring the original documents.

Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Carla Brown Antoine told Mc Nicolls, that Kumar was the custodian of the documents. However, Antoine was told they were not public documents and could not be released.

Defence attorney Vernon de Lima noted that the Central Bank’s obstruction was very interesting. The documents are to be submitted during the evidence of chartered insurance consultant Bernard Aquing, who began testifying on Wednesday. No evidence was taken yesterday as the attorneys spent the morning making submissions to convince Mc Nicolls to summon an official from Central Bank to provide the documents.

When the inquiry resumed after lunch, Mc Nicolls ruled that a summons be issued to the Inspector of Financial Institutions at Central Bank, to appear in court this morning to produce the documents. The summons was expected to be served on Kumar yesterday evening.

Eight persons and three companies are charged with a total of 21 offences relating to the terminal development project at the Piarco Airport . They are former government ministers Brian Kuei Tung and Russel Huggins; CEO of Northern Construction Ltd (NCL) Ish Galbaransingh; CEO of Maritime General Insurance Company John Henry Smith; Maritime Group of Companies chairman Steve Ferguson; company secretary Barbara Gomes; businesswoman Renee Pierre, and Fidelity Insurance and Leasing Company Ltd.

Hearing resumes today (June 17).