PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

The State's bribery case against former prime minister Basdeo Panday and his wife, Oma, has been adjourned until next month, following the absence of the lead prosecutor and a key state witness from a magistrate's court here.

Lead prosecutor, Timothy Cassell, and the State's final witness from England failed to show before Magistrate Ejenny Espinet in the Port-of-Spain First Court when the matter was called, forcing the adjournment until September 14.

A letter from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions explained to the court that the men were unavailable because they could not secure flights to Trinidad, but this was met with loud disapproval from Panday's defence attorneys, who said they viewed it as an attempt to stall the inquiry.

They told the magistrate they viewed it as "abuse of process".