THE Guyana Bar Association is still to issue a statement or comment in relation to accusations leveled against Alliance For Change (AFC) Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, and current Party Chairman, Nigel Hughes. The two prominent lawyers have been accused of committing legal improprieties, acts which are contrary to their prominence in the political arena.
In Ramjattan’s case, Veronica Da Silva and Michael Taharally, ostensibly clients of his, claim that in 2006, he consented to the sale of the former’s property, located at 240-241 Camp Street, Georgetown, without their permission.
Da Silva also alleges that he fleeced her of G$2M when their initial agreement was that she would only pay him G$1M, as that was all she could afford.
Sources close to the case say Ramjattan sold the property, which had a market value of G$90M at the time, for a mere G$55M.
Both Da Silva and Taharally have since lodged a formal complaint against the AFC leader with the Registrar of the Supreme Court under the Legal Practioner’s Act. The pair is seeking to have their monies and the property returned, and for Ramjattan to be removed from the Bar for betraying the principles of the legal profession.
In the case of Hughes, he reportedly has in excess of G$12M outstanding in taxes, and has been ordered by the Court to honour his obligation and square his account with the Guyana Revenue Authority.
It must be noted that both men, whilst being prominent lawyers, are also prominent political figures as leaders of the AFC.