SENIOR Magistrate Leron Daly will commence hearing evidence in the cybercrime case involving Police Sergeant Dion Bascom, on February 20, 2023.

On Tuesday, Magistrate Daly opted to recuse herself from presiding over the matter in keeping with a letter written by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack.

The DPP had written the acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings- Edwards asking that Magistrate Daly be recused from hearing the case.

The DPP, in her letter, said that while Magistrate Daly does not appear to have any personal interest in the matter, her conduct, thus far, might lead to a miscarriage of justice or more legal challenges.

In her ruling, Magistrate Daly said that she was “inclined” to recuse herself given the “strongly worded” letter by the DPP.

She then transferred the matter to Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan. However, the Chief Magistrate subsequently said that she received no instruction from the Chancellor for the magistrate’s removal.

Among other things, the Chief Magistrate said the grounds raised were insufficient to constitute a valid reason for recusal.

In the end, the matter was returned to Magistrate Daly, who then set February 20, 2023, for the commencement of the trial.

Last month, Bascom made his first appearance before the Chief Magistrate for allegedly accusing two senior officers of covering up the murder of Ricardo Fagundes, known as “Paper Shorts.”

Bascom denied the three charges, which alleged that he, during August, used a computer system to transmit electronic data with the intent to humiliate, harass or cause substantial emotional distress to Superintendents Mitchell Caesar and Chabinauth Singh.

He was released on $300,000 bail, and was ordered to lodge his passport at the court, among other conditions.

Recently, Hughes filed a private criminal charge against the Crime Chief; however, the charge was later discontinued by the DPP.

On August 8, Bascom was arrested during a Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) raid at a home in Norton Street, Georgetown. Bascom was eventually released.

He then posted a live video on social media, which he later deleted, naming businessman Azruddin Mohamed and several senior officers in allegations about the murder investigation.

A popular gold dealer and biker, 42-year-old Fagundes was gunned down on Main Street, Georgetown, on March 21. Fagundes was shot more than a dozen times.

In the now-deleted Facebook video, Bascom claimed that he believed his detention had to do with his work on the murder case.

Mohamed has filed a $200 million lawsuit against Bascom in relation to the claims he made. The businessman is contending that the allegations made by Bascom are false.

The Regional Security System (RSS) recently reviewed the work done by police investigators and confirmed that there was no evidence to suggest that there was any attempt to cover up the crime.

The RSS also found that there is also no evidence of corrupt practices.