Bishop Edghill wins first round in legal church battle…
BISHOP Juan Edghill, Pastor and Director of Outreach Ministries, International who had been sued by the Gladtidings Assembly Guyana Mission in 2003 accused of fraudulently obtaining a transport # 3382/2002, left the court yesterday after winning the first round of the court battle.
Attorney-at-Law , Mr. Roysdale Forde who appeared for the Bishop at the hearing in Chambers, before Justice Dawn Gregory-Barnes, yesterday, later told the Guyana Chronicle that the summons against his client were deemed abandoned and that he would now have to put the relevant submissions in writing.
Further hearing, he said, will be fixed for a date in September this year.
The Plaintiff’s claim against the defendant is for:
(a) A declaration that defendants obtained transport #3382/2002 by fraud.
(b)    Damages in excess of $50,000 for fraudulent conversion of the plaintiff’s property to wit “Lot 26 Durban Street, Lodge, Georgetown, “on or about the 11th day of December, 2002.
(c)  Damages in excess of $50,000.  for conversion of the plaintiff’s property  situate at Lot 26 Durban Street, Lodge, Georgetown on or about the 11th day of December, 2002.
(d)    An injunction restraining the defendants whether by themselves their servants and or agents from selling, attempting to sell, mortgage, attempting to mortgage or alienating the property situate at Lot 26 Durban Street, Lodge, Georgetown, Demerara.
The writ was taken out by Mr. C.A. Nigel Hughes, counsel for the plaintiff, Gladtidings Assembly.
In his affidavit in support of summons, Bishop Juan Edghill of Lot 26 Durban Street said that he is the Director of the Second Named Defendant Company herein.
That the Plaintiff instituted an Action against the Defendants Company on the 31st day of March, 2003.
That the Defendants filed an Entry of Appearance to the writ on the 14th day of April, 2003.
That the Plaintiff never filed its Statement of claim.
That in the premises, Bishop Juan Edghill went on to say in his affidavit,“I respectfully pray that the Honourable Court would be pleased to grant the relief sought in the summons hereto.
“That over two years have expired and the plaintiff has failed to prosecute their Actions.
“That I hereby authorise Mr. Roysdale A. Forde to act as my Attorney-at-Law in this matter and for him to do all the acts and things necessary therein on my behalf.”
Mr. Forde disclosed that the plaintiff not having prosecuted the claim, it was abandoned , leaving the defendant to put submissions in writing to the court which will be heard in September.