MAGISTRATE Geeta Chandan-Edmond yesterday granted an adjournment to the Prosecution in the case of controversial television broadcaster and aspiring President, Chandra Narine Sharma, his son-in-law Ravi Mangar and others charged with obstructing the course of justice. Special Prosecutor Sanjeev Datadin secured the grant after indicating, to the Court, that he was not in possession of the files, having only been recently retained and needed some time to familiarise himself with the matter.
Defence Counsel Vic Puran objected to another postponement, noting that the magistrate had warned the lawyers that the cases will be dismissed if the Prosecutor was not ready to start the preliminary inquiry (PI).
He said the Defence is ready and so should the Prosecutor, regardless of whether he was recently recruited.
The magistrate informed the Prosecutor that the matter was fixed for commencement and he should have been prepared.
In response, Datadin said the State is prepared to prosecute the matter in a reasonable manner and argued that, should the defendant change his lawyer, the new counsel would have been given more time to become familiar with the case.
Puran urged the magistrate to start the PI or dismiss the charges, submitting that the  Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) must be able to conduct business efficiently, rather than seeking the indulgence of the Court.
He said, on the last occasion, the Prosecutor gave the Defence the assurance that the files are in order and ready to prosecute but the delay continues.
Other Defence Counsel Nigel Hughes, also representing Sharma, noted that the State came up with something else as the magistrate was on the verge of dismissing the charges.
Datadin maintained that, because he is now representing the State, it is his responsibility to have the cases ready but he should also be given an opportunity to be able to present his witnesses.
“I do not see how, in any way, this can infringe on the Defence. Giving an adjournment in the case cannot be unreasonable or prejudicial to the Defence,” he intoned.
ALREADY PRESENT
Hughes replied that the State Prosecutor does not need time to produce his witnesses when they are already present in Court.
After more arguments, the magistrate announced the postponement, based on the circumstance of change in the Prosecution.
The PI is scheduled to start on June 25 when Datadin said he will be ready to proceed with all the matters.
As Sharma exited the courtroom, he told reporters that he is frustrated and tired of attending Court.
“I should be in hospital now and not at the Court. I am very frustrated with this and it is injustice. The State feels that I am hiding but I’m here every time the case is called,” he said.
Meanwhile, the carnal knowledge charge against Sharma continued before Magistrate Susanna Lovell yesterday.
The virtual complainant gave evidence and the hearing resumes today.
On April 20, Sharma had appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson on an indictable charge of carnal knowledge of a child seven years old.
The case was transferred to Magistrate Lovell who put him on $2M bail the following day.
On April 23, Sharma, Mangar, owner of Gizmos and Gadgets and three other persons were charged with the obstruction offence and each of them, three CNS Channel Six employees included, faced charges of attempting to obstruct the course of justice and Magistrate Robertson ordered them to individually lodge $100,000 surety.
On April 26, Sharma was, again, in front of Magistrate Robertson, charged indictably with attempting to obstruct the course of justice.
Particulars of that offence said, on April 15, he willfully attempted to obstruct the course of justice, by removing two of the girls at the centre of the allegations against him from their known address to a house at Lot 123 Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara, in order to prevent them from being questioned by the Police in relation to the accusations.
He secured pre-trial freedom in that case with a $100,000 bond.