AMERICAN-registered nurse Dawn Saul–Khan, who had allegedly threatened Chalique Johnson and Melissa Guerrier not to give evidence against her in a trafficking in narcotics case or else a bad thing would happen to them and their families abroad, thereby attempting to obstruct the course of justice, had the matter dismissed against her in the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court following a no-case submission by Attorney-at-Law Joel Edmond.The 56-year-old bespectacled woman of Lot 2098 North Ruimveldt, Georgetown had initially appeared before New Amsterdam Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo and pleaded not guilty to the summary charges.
However, the no-case submissions were upheld by Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs Marcus.
Edmond submitted that his client had suffered dire hardship, being a registered nurse and a resident of United States who, because of the court case, had been unable to travel to North America.
“As a matter of fact, this matter has been before the courts for eight months, and to date only two witnesses have testified. The virtual complainants have not been called as yet to the witness stand.” Edmond said.
Responding, Police Corporal Orin Joseph, prosecuting, expressed appreciation for the counsel’s submission, but countered that he was unaware of the reason for the complainants’ absence.
At the initial hearing, Joseph had revealed that between October 16 and November 5, 2012, the victims and the defendant were inmates at the New Amsterdam Prison, having been remanded to that penal institution on October 15, 2012 after being nabbed with narcotics at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.
Subsequent to their incarceration, the defendant was granted bail and left the prison; but Johnson, 19, and Guerrier, 36, both American citizens, had told investigators that the defendant had given them the drug to transport to New York when they were intercepted at the airport.
After being arrested and taken to the New Amsterdam Prison, the defendant allegedly told them that she would take care of them if they did not change their story of her giving them the illegal drug.

(By Jeune Bailey)