Oma to have surgery in UK

THE trial of Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday which was scheduled to start yesterday, has been postponed to April 8, because his wife, Oma Panday, has to have emergency surgery this week in London.

A letter from one of Panday’s attorneys was presented yesterday to Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls advising the court that Panday had to accompany his wife and remain with her during her hospitalisation and recuperation, which is anticipated to take between three to four weeks.

Panday, political leader of the United National Congress (UNC), and former Prime Minister appeared before McNicolls in the Port-of-Spain Eighth Magistrates’ Court on three charges of failing to declare his account at the National Westminster Bank, London, for 1997, 1998, and 1999. There was no large crowd to see the former Prime Minister who was making his second court appearance. It was a usual Monday morning at the Magistrates’ Court. Security was normal with several prison vans bringing prisoners from the city jail and litigants going about their business.

Panday arrived at the court shortly before 9 am. He was accompanied by Members of Parliament Manohar Ramsaran and Chandresh Sharma, as well as Senator Wade Mark and Chaguanas Mayor Orlando Nagessar.
British Queen’s Counsel Timothy Cassel and Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Carla Brown-Antoine appeared for the State, while Panday was represented by Allan Alexander SC, Desmond Allum SC, and Rajiv Persad. The complainant, Senior Supt Wellington Virgil, head of the Fraud Squad was also present. Chief Magistrate McNicolls arrived in court at 9.08 am and promptly called the case.

Cassel informed the court that the DPP had received a letter last week from the defence asking for an adjournment. He handed a copy of the letter to the Chief Magistrate who admitted that it was the first time he was hearing of the application. The letter, dated February 18 and addressed to DPP Geoffrey Henderson, was written by one of Panday’s instructing attorneys Devesh Maharaj.

In the letter, Maharaj wrote, “I have just been informed by the defendant, however, that his wife was every recently advised to have urgent surgery in the United Kingdom next week and because of her condition it is advisable that the defendant should accompany and remain with her during her hospitalization and recuperation. It is anticipated that will take between three (3) to four (4) weeks.”
Maharaj said that in the circumstances, the defence was seeking an adjournment of the trial. Cassel said the prosecution had thought long and hard about the application, but in the end they had no objection to the adjournment.

The British QC also informed the court that one of the prosecution’s witnesses, Angela Braithwaite, was also due to undergo surgery and could be away recuperating for at least six weeks. Cassel asked for the case to be adjourned to April 8, which will allow him time to come into Trinidad three days before. He also stated that he was involved in a very long and complex fraud case in the United Kingdom and his client is due to take the stand towards the end of April.

Cassel said if the Panday case should start on April 8 and cannot end by the time he is ready to return to England, then the case will have to be put to May 19. After hearing what Cassel had to say and with confirmation from Alexander, the Chief Magistrate adjourned the trial to April 8. The case was all over in seven minutes. Panday was hustled out of the building and into his waiting car.