‘I’m standing by my husband, I know it’s a lie’, says Mrs. Sharma
CARNAL knowledge accused Chandra Narine Sharma once again steered clear of over-nighting in prison when his lawyers yesterday secured bail for him in the sum of $2M.
Sharma collapsed last Tuesday when he was about to be taken to the prison and was transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital for treatment instead.
After he was discharged that day, he was again saved from entering the prisons after the officers there refused to accept him due to Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson not signing the committal order.
For this reason, he spent the night in the Brickdam police station lockups until the time for his court appearance yesterday morning.
Again in handcuffs, Sharma entered Court Two over which Magistrate Sueanna Lovell presided.
The matter was again held in camera (behind closed doors) and arguments between the Defence team and Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, continued for more than two hours.
Unlike when he first appeared, Sharma’s wife Savitri and his daughter were not allowed to be in the courtroom.
One of Sharma’s lawyers, Mr. Vic Puran, told this newspaper after the hearing yesterday that the accused was ordered to lodge his passport with the court and to report every Monday and Friday to the Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, at 9:00 hrs.
Puran said the Magistrate also ordered that Sharma should not be kept beyond 10:00 hrs whenever he turns up at Eve Leary.
After bail was granted, Sharma was whisked away in the prison van to the Georgetown Prisons. His wife told police officers that this was not the procedure and that Sharma was supposed to remain in the court lockups until bail was posted.
When questioned about this, Puran said it was not unlawful for the Magistrate to sign a warrant remanding Sharma to prison until bail was posted. This is done in certain circumstances for security purposes, he explained.
The Chronicle understands that bail was posted shortly after Sharma was taken away, and at 15:20 hrs, he was released from jail.
This newspaper was also reliably informed that the Prosecution is ready to proceed with the matter but that lawyers for Sharma have requested more time to prepare a proper defence for him.
While waiting outside of the courtroom to hear of her husband’s fate, Sharma’s wife told reporters that the situation at present is very traumatic for her and the family, and that they are taking it one day at a time.
“I don’t know where these bribe allegations are coming from. I’m standing by my husband. I know it’s a lie,” she said.
Meanwhile, scores of persons turned up in support of Sharma, shouting: “Free Sharma. Hold Kwame. Sharma needs justice. The man do a lot of good things in the country. We want Sharma.”
With the crowd building up, police officers began putting supporters out of the courtyard. The officers were then forced to put up barricades in front of the court, hindering the flow of traffic on Avenue of the Republic, between Croal Street and Brickdam.
On Tuesday, Magistrate Robertson read an indictable charge to Sharma that said, between July 23, 2003, and July 24, 2004, he had carnal knowledge of a girl under seven years.
Following the circulation of an affidavit by a girl who claimed that the controversial politician/businessman had raped her repeatedly for years, and a report to the Police on April 15 last, Sharma was asked to report to the Police for questioning.
He showed up at Eve Leary with his lawyer and was taken to the Brickdam Police Station where he collapsed.
It is alleged that the girl, now 13, was repeatedly raped by Sharma ever since she was seven. The girl also stated that Sharma did the same thing to her siblings and they would receive $2,000 per week after sexual intercourse.
The girl added in the statement that she and her four sisters were all raped and sexually abused by Sharma over a period of time.