Dear Editor,
I read with great shock, in sections of the media that James Bond, a lawyer, has offered money to the parents of the two boys who were struck down on the Annandale Public Road by some Chinese, who cannot yet be located.
One of the young men died and the other is in a critical condition in the hospital. Based upon what I read in the newspapers, Mr Bond, on behalf of the Chinese Association, offered $1.9 million to the parents to settle the matter. The parents said that Mr Bond was in the company of a Chinese woman, who obviously knows the whereabouts of the driver.
I do not know what quality of lawyer Mr Bond is, but what I do know, is that his conduct is highly reprehensible and also illegal. As a lawyer, one would expect that Mr Bond is familiar with criminal offences, such as perverting the course of justice. Mr Bond has a duty as a citizen to assist the police in their investigations to locate the driver. He should be taking the Chinese woman to the police station to provide the police with information regarding the whereabouts of the driver.
Instead, he chose to take the woman to the home of the parents of the victims with a view of paying them off in order to compromise the criminal justice system from taking its lawful course. This is one of the most serious criminal offences. It is akin to bribing a witness not to give evidence in a case. Only recently, a lawyer was charged for doing so in Berbice.
The police and the DPP must take actions against Mr Bond to send a clear message that serious criminal offences cannot be settled in this manner. If not, the entire criminal justice system will break down and the rich will commit crimes with impunity because they can afford to pay off the poor victims.
Regards,
Jairam Seetaram
