Court unfreezes attorney's account as $m lawsuit withdrawn

ATTORNEY Varun Debideen can now access funds in his bank account as a Tacarigua-based company seeking to recover $7 million paid to a contractor for a construction project that did not materialise has withdrawn its claim against him.

The trial was expected to start on January 13, however, it was rescheduled and on January 14, attorneys for Advance Hose and Marketing Ltd, of Ridgewood Heights informed Justice Frank Seepersad that the claim against Debideen was being withdrawn as the parties agreed on a compromised position.

Details of the agreement were not given in court.

Seepersad then lifted the freezing order, he imposed on November 1, 2023, on Debideen’s account.

The trial will now proceed against contractor Cordell Philbert, Debideen’s former client Joash Ramjattan and his company Za Limity Engineering Consultancy, on February 10.

Advanced Hose initially filed its claim against six people and two banks, seeking to recover $7 million. The company’s claims against two of them and the banks were previously discontinued.

Lawyers for Advanced Hose claimed that on July 19, 2023, their client transferred the money to Philbert, of Royal Palm Gardens, Malabar, Arima, for a potential construction project in Guyana.

The company claimed that Philbert did not perform his contractual obligations and it sought to recover the funds it had advanced.

Advance Hose is represented by attorneys Jagdeo Singh, Leon Kalicharan and Karina Singh.

Keera Bazzey represents Philbert; Narendra Latchman and Andrew Ramsubeik represent Ramjattan and his company.

King’s Counsel Tom Richards, Kent Samlal, Umesh Maharaj and Narissa Bala represented Debideen.