PANDAY
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):
SCORES OF United National Congress (UNC) supporters gathered at the Port of Spain Magistrate's Court for the verdict in the trial of former Prime Minister and Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday expressed shock when he was found guilty on three counts of knowingly failing to declare a London bank account to the Integrity Commission.
Shock waves spread across the compound as Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls handed down the guilty verdict and sentenced Panday to the maximum two years hard labour and fined him TT$20,000 (US$3,000). He also ordered that the TT$1.6 (US$258,000) in the former Prime Minister's accounts be confiscated.
DENIED BAIL
Immediately after the trial Panday, who was denied bail, was sped away from the court in a police vehicle.
There was heavy police presence around the compound for the verdict and the scores of supporters who gathered there well ahead of the 9:00 a.m. start of court waited anxiously until around 10:00 a.m., when the decision was handed down.
The charge against Panday was that he knowingly failed to declare to the Integrity Commission, for the years 1997, 1998, and 1999, that he had a Nat West bank account in London with his wife Oma.
Panday was charged on September 18, 2002 by Assistant Commissioner of Police Wellington Virgil but the summary trial did not start until March 20, this year, as Panday mounted a number of legal challenges to his prosecution.
CRIMINAL TRIAL
He took it all the way to the Privy Council which, on February 16, dismissed a judicial review case and paved the way for the criminal trial to begin.
The trial began in the Port-of-Spain Eighth Magistrates' Court before a packed public gallery and bar table. Both sides brought in English lawyers who ensured there was a smooth flow of the trial.
A number of Panday's political colleagues were present at the hearing, but noticeably absent was his wife. The main witnesses for the prosecution were Albert Alkins, registrar of the Integrity Commission,
Virgil, and a female bank official from Nat West Bank in London. These witnesses were called by lead prosecutor, British Queen's Counsel Sir Timothy Cassel.
Panday gave evidence and said he did not know he had to declare that account, because it was not mine. As far as he was concerned, that account belonged to Oma. When asked about a US$212,000 deposit from CLICO chairman Lawrence Duprey in 1997, Panday said he did not know about the money until he was charged in 2002.
He said he was informed by his wife that the money came from Duprey as a scholarship for two of his daughters, Mikela and Nicola, who were studying law in England .
Duprey gave evidence on behalf of Panday. During his testimony, Duprey said the money he gave to Oma was not a scholarship, but financial assistance. At the end of the six-day trial, Mc Nicolls said he needed time to give his ruling and adjourned it for three weeks.
He was charged under the Integrity in Public Life Act 1987.
