MANAGING Director of Ground Structures Engineering Consultants (GSEC), Charles Ceres and his wife, Ndibi Schwiers, have been denied their injunction restraining Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, Kaieteur News, and the Guyana Times from publishing/ making further defamatory statements against them.

The matter came up before Justice Fidela Corbin-Lincoln at the High Court on Tuesday, August 20, 2019, where it was held in chambers.

Following the hearing, Attorney Anil Nandlall, one of Jagdeo’s legal representatives, told reporters that the Judge ruled that the defendants, having pleaded justification and because it involves freedom of speech which is a constitutional right, she is constrained from granting an injunction at this stage.

Nandlall explained that the law states that once a defendant in a libellous matter pleads that he will justify the statements made in the interests of freedom of speech and the interest of a democratic society that encourages free discussion, then an injunction should not be granted and a person much be allowed to speak freely.
Given all the circumstances, he said that the judge denied the claimants’ request for the injunction.

The case will now proceed to trial.

Charles Ceres and his wife Schwiers, Director of the Department of Environment at the Ministry of the Presidency, are seeking damages in excess of $200M from Jagdeo for the publishing of the unsubstantiated and defamatory statements via the People’s Progressive Party’s social media channels.

Additionally, the claimants are also seeking another $200M each from the two news outlets for publishing articles based on Jagdeo’s claims that the couple obtained the said lands by immoral, improper, illegal and criminal means.

The two parties were also asking the Court to consider granting an injunction against the newspapers to prevent them or their servants from publishing further defamatory statements. In addition to the millions worth in damages, the Claimants are also seeking retractions and apologies from the two news outlets.
The couple is represented by attorney-at-law Darren Wade.