State proceeds in Anand case

THE prosecution has moved one step further in its case against former attorney general Anand Ramlogan,SC, with the filing of witness statements, including those of Police Commissioner Gary Griffith and head of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA), David West.

This was disclosed by senior prosecutor Mauricia Joseph when Ramlogan returned to the Eight Magistrates Court for a case management hearing before Chief Magistrate Maria Busby Earle-Caddle, yesterday.

Of the statements the prosecution intends to rely on in its case against Ramlogan, his lawyers, led by Senior Counsel Pamela Elder, have already filed objections to West’s and asked that they be given all of May to file the rest of their objections.

The prosecution was given until the end of June to respond to the objections and attorneys will return to court on July 9, so that trial dates can be set.

Once the trial begins, there will be one witness to give viva voce (oral rather than written) evidence.

At the last hearing in April, Earle-Caddle gave directions for the prosecution to file all further witness statements by April 18, warning that if her order was not complied with, the State would only be allowed to rely on those statements filed by that date.

The warning was given after Elder complained that on each occasion the matter had been called in the past, the State was not ready to proceed as it was still in the process of gathering its witness statements.

Elder had also complained of the “prejudicial effects” statements of Attorney General Faris Al Rawi, who, earlier in April, announced at a press conference that the case was scheduled to start. Elder accused Al Rawi of making “false and misleading statements.”

Al Rawi also said he has signed a witness statement in the matter.

In 2017, Ramlogan was charged with perverting the course of public justice and misbehaviour in public office after West reported to police that before he (West) was appointed director of the PCA, he was telephoned by Ramlogan and asked to withdraw a witness statement relating to the failed extradition involving Section 34 applicants Steve Ferguson and Ishwar Galbaransingh, in exchange for him being selected for the job of PCA director.