PORT-OF-SPAIN (Trinidad Express):
THE CRIMINAL case police are building against Chief Justice Satnarine Sharma has got stronger now that investigators have cleared Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls of any wrongdoing in a multimillion-dollar land transaction.
McNicolls is the main complainant against Sharma in a criminal investigation surrounding allegations that Sharma attempted to influence the Chief Magistrate to find former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday not guilty of three charges of failing to declare a London bank account to the Integrity Commission.
Police say that since McNicolls has been cleared, his credibility rating will rise and they will also rely on several other witnesses who have provided statements, including Sir Timothy Cassel, Q.C., to mount the case against Sharma.
Sharma is expected to return today from an overseas judicial conference and lead investigator ACP Wellington Virgil is expected to meet with him later this week.
