Historic Caribbean Court of Justice sitting in Guyana
Judges from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) making their way to the room where the sitting was held at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal.
Judges from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) making their way to the room where the sitting was held at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal.

THE Convention Centre on Orchid Drive, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara was transformed into a veritable courtroom yesterday with the Justices of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) sitting in Guyana for the very first time.The occasion was the hearing of an Application for Leave to Appeal, filed by Attorneys-at-Law, Sanjeev J. Datadin and Charles S. Ramson on behalf of their clients, Paul Lashley and John Campayne (the Applicants).
The hearing began at 10:00am and was presided over by Justice Sir Dennis Byron, President of the CCJ, and Justices of Appeal Adrian Saunders, Jacob Wit, David Hayton and Charles Anderson.
The Applicants were charged in June 2012 with breaking and enter and larceny, and a trial ensued in the Magistrates’ Court. Chief Magistrate, Priya Beharry presided over the trial, and in December 2012, found the Applicants guilty and imposed a sentence of four years imprisonment. The Court of Appeal, in July 2013, dismissed their appeal against conviction and sentence.
Datadin, on behalf of the Applicants, outlined to the Court that the Court had discretion to grant Special Leave to Appeal against the decision of the Court of Appeal.
He went on to argue that the trial against the Applicants was manifestly unfair, and resulted in an egregious miscarriage of justice because of the incompetence of the Counsel who conducted the trial on behalf of the Applicants in the Magistrates’ Court.
Datadin further argued in the alternative that the sentence imposed on the Applicants was too severe. The Judges of the Court asked Mr. Datadin whether probation reports are usually obtained by the Court in Guyana before sentence is passed, and Mr. Datadin replied: “In my experience, it happens, but it is more the exception rather than the rule.”
Ms. Sonia Joseph, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, responded on behalf of the State and contended the appeal was without merit, and that further, the Court was not empowered to grant special leave to appeal. That leave to appeal, she said, had to be granted by the Court of Appeal of Guyana.
The matter is fixed for decision today at 10:00am.
Asked to comment on the matter following the hearing, Datadin said he was pleased that the Court was giving its ruling in such a short time, but would not be drawn into saying what he thought the decision might be.
Ramson, on the otrher hand, remarked that it was indeed an important and historic day for Guyana and the CCJ, in that the presence of the Justices “certainly amplifies the perception of justice, and demonstrably crystalizes credibility in the CCJ functioning in the way as it was intended.”
That said, he urged all other CARICOM countries to ratify and implement the decision to make the CCJ their final court. “National and regional issues ought to be decided by national and regional courts,” he said.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All our printed editions are available online
emblem3
Subscribe to the Guyana Chronicle.
Sign up to receive news and updates.
We respect your privacy.