State moves against decision to free Gopeesingh

The State today will seek leave for  judicial review against the decision of Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls to free former chairman of the North/West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) Dr Tim Gopeesingh.

Gopeesingh was freed on September 23, 2002, after Mc Nicolls ruled that the charges against Gopeesingh referred to offences which are not known to law. Gopeesingh was slapped with nine charges, that during December 12, 1999 to July 12, 2000, as NWRHA chairman, he dishonestly and obliquely entered into a contract of employment with Ramesh Sharma dated July 14, 2002, on behalf of the NWRHA; also, entering into similar contracts with Reynold Makhan and Ranjit Sookdar who were all managers with the NWRHA. It was alleged that by his actions he misbehaved in public office. Russell Martineau SC, one of Gopeesingh’s attorneys, submitted then that his client had no authority to enter into the contract, therefore, the contracts were void. At the trial, Gopeesingh was represented by a battery of top lawyers which included Martineau, Desmond Allum SC, Israel Khan SC and Ravi Rajcoomar. After McNicolls’ ruling, the State filed for judicial review.