…demands apology, compensation for “libellous claim”

PUBLISHER of the Guyana Times newspaper, Bobby Ramroop has been asked to compensate the Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams SC, satisfactorily, for libellous statements published in the newspaper recently, or face legal action.

Ramroop was written to by Williams’ SC attorney, Michael O. D. Somersall on Wednesday March 29, 2017. The matter has to do with recent utterances in a courtroom, between Williams SC and High Court Judge, Justice Franklin Holder in which the newspaper accused the former of issuing “threats” to the Judge in its Friday 24th March, 2017 publication. The article appeared under the headline: “Judge walks off after threats from AG Williams”.

The newspaper reported that Williams SC, in addressing the Judge, blurted out loudly in the courtroom that, “the last Magistrate who did that to me was later found dead’… and I am saying that the last magistrate who did that to me was later found dead”.

The letter from Williams’ attorney references several excerpts from the articles which the latter says give the impression that Williams SC “engages in criminal activity and conduct, and that he is a person without character, integrity and unfit to hold any public office”.

It further states that as a result of this libellous statement, Williams “has suffered humiliation, hurt and shame and has been held up to public odium and ridicule, both nationally and internationally…”
Williams, who is a Senior Counsel, currently serves at AG, Minister of Legal Affairs, a Member of Parliament, and Chairman of the People National Congress – the largest party in the APNU+AFC coalition. In light of this, Somersall made an offer for the Publisher to compensate the AG by paying for damages to be donated to a named charity and for him to sign a written apology not to repeat similar actions via the newspaper.

The attorney said in his letter that failure to accept these proposals within seven days will result in the commencement of legal proceedings against Ramroop in the High Court, without further notice.

Following the publication of the article, Williams SC had said that he would not take the issue lightly, since it has caused damage to his unblemished credibility as an attorney. The Guyana Times article had also stated that during the court matter: ‘’the cross examination was coming to an end, a frustrated Williams accused the Judge of not accurately recording the evidence, and Justice Holder took umbrage to the accusation… an angry Williams in a loud tone of voice repeated the accusation and the Judge again admonished him about the accusation and about his tone of voice.”

The newspaper reported that Williams then blurted out loudly, “the last Magistrate who did that to me was later found dead’… and I am saying that the last magistrate who did that to me was later found dead”. These comments were taken directly from the Facebook page of former AG, Anil Nandlall, who was the first to write about the matter the evening it reportedly transpired. The AG has since warned that legal action will also be taken against Nandlall and Kaieteur News, which published content similar to that of Guyana Times.

The AG has since committed to resolving the issue with Justice Holder, who has asked for an apology from Williams.

In a letter to acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yvonne Cummings-Edwards, Justice Holder said he left the bench of the courtroom last week Thursday because of an alleged statement made by Williams, which is: “I could say what I want to say and however I want to say it, I have always been like that.” The judge said he found the statement to be egregious. “Immediately after hearing these words, I rose from the bench and went into my chambers. I did not adjourn the matter, nor did I give any instructions to the parties,” Justice Holder mentioned in his letter of complaint. Justice Holder said he felt disrespected, and did not mention being threatened by the AG.