…former Attorney General Nandlall says he’s not paying

SPECIAL Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) prosecutor, Patrice Henry, on Thursday closed his case against former Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall, who is on trial for the alleged larceny of over $2 million worth of law books from the Ministry of Legal Affairs.
The prosecution on Thursday closed its case before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore and defence counsel for Nandlall requested an adjournment to make a no- case submission. Nandlall is being represented by attorneys-at-law Neil Boston, S.C, Glen Hanoman and Devindra Kissoon.

The matter was adjourned until July 10.
The former AG is on trial for the alleged theft of the Lexis Nexis Law Reports of the Commonwealth that cost some $2M. The law reports are the property of the Ministry of Legal Affairs, the charge contends.

Over the past few years, Nandlall has repeatedly confirmed that while he was AG, the law books were purchased for him by the State with approval by former President Ramotar. Nandlall had explained that the law books were in his possession and he has no intention of returning them to the State. He subsequently secured an order in the High Court which bars the police from seizing the books.

Nandlall had stated that the books were acquired during his term in office as Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs. He previously stated that he commenced subscribing to Lexis Nexis (U.K.), publishers of the Commonwealth Law Reports sometime in 2003, and the arrangement was that the reports be shipped to him along with an invoice.
He noted that before his appointment as Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, he requested that as a condition of his service, the State stand this expense and this was agreed. The items were taken with him when his party demitted office in May 2015. This, he said, was communicated to the relevant authorities.