Attorney’s request denied

CHIEF MAGISTRATE Sherman Mc Nicolls yesterday turned down an application for him to stop the three-year-old Piarco Airport corruption inquiry because Chief Justice Sat Sharma had referred him (Mc Nicolls) to the Judicial and Legal Service Commission.

The application was made by attorney Vernon De Lima, who is representing Maritime General Insurance Company and Fidelity Finance and Leasing Company — two of the defendants — in the Piarco Inquiry which resumed yesterday after a two-week adjournment.

Before prosecution witness American Raimundo Levi returned to the witness stand, De Lima told the Chief Magistrate that he wanted to see Mc Nicolls outside the courtroom, to which the Chief Magis-trate replied, “What?”

De Lima repeated that he would like to see Mc Nicolls outside the court. “I mean all the lawyers in the matter, we want to see you outside, in chambers.” Mc Nicolls responded, “What you want to say, say it here in court.” The court got very quiet and everyone turned towards De Lima.

“The Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago has formally complained to the Judicial and Legal Service Commission that the Chief Magistrate is beholden to the Attorney General,” De Lima said.

De Lima pointed out that the Attorney General was responsible for the Anti-Corruption Investi-gations Bureau (ACIB).

He continued, “The companies whom I represent reasonably believe until those matters are settled, it would not be prudent for you to continue with this inquiry.

“I ask you to consider staying this matter until there is some resolution to that matter. That is all I have to say. That is what I want to raise with you, sir.” Mc Nicolls appeared stunned by the request.

But De Lima did not get support from his colleagues at the bar table. Unlike numerous occasions during the inquiry when the defence team would support each other in making submissions, on this occasion, De Lima stood alone.

Mc Nicolls then turned to prosecutor Gilbert Peterson SC. Peterson was hesitant about commenting. He said he did not know the grounds for De Lima’s request. He said he did not even know where De Lima got his information.

Mc Nicolls bowed his head and then stated emphatically, “This application is refused.” De Lima replied, “Thank you.”

Levi was then recalled to the witness stand where he continued with his evidence-in-chief. He will return to the witness stand when hearing resumes today.

Yesterday’s event was the latest development in the matter between Mc Nicolls and the Chief Justice Sat Sharma, against whom Mc Nicolls has made a complaint of trying to interfere in the recently concluded case against former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday.

De Lima’s request was based on a public statement from Sharma last week that he reported Mc Nicolls to the Judicial and Legal Service Commission (JLSC) over a land deal. Prior to that, Mc Nicolls submitted a report to Prime Minister Patrick Manning about meetings he had with Sharma at the Hall of Justice during the course of this year.