Nandlall, Solicitor General at loggerheads over GRDB fraud case

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall and Solicitor General Kym Kyte are at odds over whether or not the High Court has granted a permanent stay on fraud-related charges against former Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) Deputy General Manager (GM) Madanlall Ramraj.
The dispute came after the special prosecutors representing the State had presented a heavily redacted forensic audit report which forms the basis of the charges.
Nandlall told members of the media of Monday that Justice Navindra Singh determined that the magistrate’s court cannot continue hearing fraud charges brought against former GRDB Deputy General Manager Mandanlall Ramraj. The Prosecution was initially ordered to produce a copy of the forensic audit ahead of the continuation of the High Court challenge. However, Nandall indicated that the judge’s view is that the case cannot continue.

“The judge has correctly ruled that this [redacted Forensic Audit] is not a report, that this does not satisfy his order, and that his order remains that his stay permanently remains in the magistrate’s court against Mandanlall Ramraj,” the attorney told the press on Monday.

Nandlall contends that the Prosecution’s actions have violated his client’s right to a fair trial, adding that the “blocked-out” sections made the document unreadable. He feels that this would be an appropriate case for the Director of Public Prosecutions to look into.
However, Solicitor General Kym Kyte, in a statement, disputed Nandall’s comments on the in-chamber discussion. She noted late Monday afternoon that published remarks relating to the matter posted online were “false and ludicrous.”
Kyte said Nandlall appeared on two other matters involving the Attorney General, and after one of the matters concluded, Nandlall engaged the Judge on the Ramraj v The Attorney General case which was concluded on June 5, 2018. She added that Nandlall was told that he should properly approach the court for an order for directions, and Kyte stressed that the judge made no order on the June 11, 2018 staying of the fraud charges against former GRDB Deputy General Manager.

Kyte further noted that State Counsel Collene Liverpool was present in court for the other matters with Nandlall when the Judge “reprimanded” Nandlall that he could not approach him in this manner.
Meanwhile, Nandall, in a response on Monday evening, deemed the Legal Affairs Ministry’s statement on the matter bizarre”. While refusing to dignify the “scandalous allegations contained in the said statement with a reply”, Nandall maintained that the charges against Ramraj remain “permanently stayed”.
In his description of the matters, Nandlall said the Forensic Audit Report on the GRDB prepared by Nigel Hinds was served at his office only on June 8, 2018. He explained that the document, which contains 160 pages, has around 98 percent of its contents “blacked out”.
Nandlall said that at his appearance at the High Court on Monday, the Judge “expressed the opinion” that the produced document does not comply with his Order, and “therefore the criminal charges against Ramraj remain permanently stayed.”
“The Judge further indicated that if any further directions are required of him in relation to this matter, he is prepared to give them, provided that the requisite application is made,” Nandlall added.
On May 19, 2017, Nandlall’s client Ramraj, along with GRDB Manager Jagnarine Singh; Badrie Persaud; former Agriculture Ministry Deputy Permanent Secretary (Finance) Prema Roopnarine; PPP Parliamentarian Nigel Dharamlall, and Rice Producers Association head Dharamkumar Seeraj were summoned by SOCU for questioning in relation to the GRDB’s operations from the years 2011 and 2015. They were later that day charged and bailed for fraudulent omission of records with regards to the PetroCaribe Fund.