Atherly put in prisoner’s dock

Atherly was all ready to begin his trial yesterday morning for alleged tampering with a ballot box, when he appeared in the First Assize Court. At the end of the five-minute hearing, however, Justice Malcolm Holdip told the mayor that the case had to be postponed.

Atherly, the mayor of San Fernando since 2003, was instructed to leave the courtroom in the charge of a police officer through the prisoners’ exit.

Atherly appeared before Justice Holdip charged with interfering with a ballot box during the 2002 general elections. Hearing of the case was postponed until next week Wednesday because another trial is currently engaging the court’s attention.

Dressed in a navy blue suit, a dapper-looking Atherly stepped into the prisoners’ dock when the judge’s clerk called the case at 9.25 am. Next to Atherly in the dock was Anslem Sorzano, a man charged with six counts of armed robbery and four counts of shooting with intent.

It was the second time Atherly’s case had come up for hearing during the past three weeks. Atherly was committed to stand trial before a judge and jury in the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court on August 22, 2003. The charge arose out of an incident at a polling station at the Mon Repos Fire Station on October 4, 2002, the day special voters were carded to cast their votes in the 2002 general elections. Atherly was the then campaign manager for Minister in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Diane Seukeran, who contested and won the San Fernando West seat.