MY attention was drawn to a report in Kaieteur News dated December 4th, relating to the “witness tampering” charge currently before Magistrate Geeta Chandan – Edmond, the contents of which have demonstrated the depths to which the advocacy of some Attorneys-at-Law has sunk. It is more appalling, having regard to the congeries of misplaced assertions of an aspirant to elevated rank. The public needs to be assured that the allegation made by Nigel Hughes against His Excellency, President Jagdeo is absolutely false and an unmitigated fabrication, calculated to deceive them. Any delay in the hearing of the case is without legal precedent and ought not to be countenanced by any court, since the mere filing of a Constitutional Motion cannot, by itself, disentitle a Magistrate from hearing a Criminal Charge.
It may not be without some significance that the Magistrate has retained the same Nigel Hughes to represent her in the High Court in challenging her earlier suspension from duties as a Magistrate. Any decent member of the public will readily agree that the Magistrate and Hughes have but one option if our system of justice is to flourish and litigants are to have any trust and confidence in those who are appointed to administer it. It goes without saying that all times a balance has to be struck between the right of a litigant to present his case and the duty of the court to ensure its process is not abused. Hughes’ allegation, if the report is accurate, represents scatology of the worse kind and must never be replicated. Hughes owes His Execellency an unreserved apology and Magistrates ought to be guided by the oath they take upon appointment, i.e to act without fear or favour.