ATTORNEY-GENERAL and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall has moved to the courts again; this time with two libel suits against publisher Glen Lall and editor Adam Harris of the Kaieteur News, as well as the company, National Media and Publishing Company Limited.The lawsuit is claiming damages of more than $30M in the first instance and in excess of $20M in the second.
Nandlall yesterday filed two Writs of Summons and Statements of Claims against Adam Harris, Mohan Lall (aka Glenn Lall) and the National Media And Publishing Company Limited – the three being listed as defendants in both.
The first writ, seen by the Guyana Chronicle, addresses a headline and article, deemed by the AG as libelous, which was published on July 31, 2014. The headline read ‘Men in Anil Nandlall’s vehicle terrorise Kaieteur News staff’.
Nandlall is seeking, according to the court documents:
* Damages in excess of $10,000,000 for libel contained in the headline captioned, ‘Men in Anil Nandlall’s vehicle terrorise Kaieteur News staff’, published by the defendants on page one of the issue of Kaieteur News newspaper on July 31, 2014;
* Damages in excess of $10,000,000 for libel contained in the article captioned, ‘Men in Anil Nandlall’s vehicle terrorise Kaieteur News staff’, published by the defendants on page three of the issue of Kaieteur News newspaper on July 31, 2014;
* Aggravated or exemplary damages in excess of $10,000,000; and other costs.
In the second lawsuit, the AG challenges comments included as an Editor’s Note below a letter submitted by him, responding to the July 31, 2014, allegations. The letter was published under the headline ‘Anil Nandlall responds to spy allegations’.
In the second lawsuit, the AG is seeking:
* Damages in excess of $10M for libel contained in the Editor’s Note immediately following the letter to the Editor under the caption, “Anil Nandlall responds to spy allegations”, published by the defendants on page five in the issue of Kaieteur News newspaper of August 1, 2014;
* Aggravated or exemplary damages in excess of $10M; and
* Other costs and orders as the court deems just and proper.
Additionally, both accompanying Statements of Claims state that the publications on July 31, 2014 and on August 1, 2014, were both false and malicious.
The statements added that the headline and article conveyed the clear impression that Nandlall was engaged in unlawful and criminal acts and that he is unfit to hold the offices of Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs and a Member of Parliament.
It said: “The said words in their natural and ordinary meaning meant and were understood to mean: (i) that the Plaintiff was engaged in criminal acts; (ii) that the Plaintiff is a terrorist and was engaged in an act of terrorism; (iii) that the Plaintiff was engaged in acts designed and intended to intimidate, scare and terrorise the Defendants and the staff at Kaieteur News; (iv) that the Plaintiff was engaged in acts designed and intended to interfere with the Defendants’ constitutional right and freedom to published their newspapers; (v) that the Plaintiff was associated with or was part of a criminal gang that was armed with a gun; (vi) that the Plaintiff is part of or has connections to a criminal gang that fire-bombed a printing press of Kaieteur News at Eccles in 2002 and killed 5 Kaieteur News pressmen in 2006; (vii) that the Plaintiff has committed several criminal offences; (viii) the Plaintiff is unfit to hold the office of Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs and a seat as a Member of Parliament.”
The court documents were issued by the AG’s legal representatives: Mr. Bernard C. De Santos, S. C., Mr. Euclin Gomes, Mr. Sase Gunraj and Mr. Ganesh A. Hira.
The AG’s legal team maintains that both publications reflected libel that was calculated to cause and did cause him great public embarrassment, held him up to odium and ridicule and disparaged him as the Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs and Member of Parliament, both nationally and internationally.
Nandlall is expected to also rely on “several other disparaging and libelous publications” by the Kaieteur News of and concerning him. The defendants, according to the writs, will be required to appear in court or have judgment issued in favour of the AG.

(By Vanessa Narine )