Eric’s
trial fixed for October 30
Trinidad
& Tobago Newsday
Port Spain
Petroleumworldtt.com
09 16 07
ERIC
WILLIAMS will go on trial for bribery charges
in the Port-of-Spain Fourth Magistrates’ Court
on October 30.
Yesterday, Senior Magistrate Lucina Cardenas-Ragoonanan
set two days aside to deal with the matter in which
the Port-of-Spain South MP is alleged to have taken
bribes.
Williams, 49, was not in court yesterday when
lawyers in the matter agreed to the date for the
hearing of evidence to begin. He was represented
by attorney Rajiv Persad.
Williams’ matter has been delayed for various
reasons since he first appeared in court on January
9 last year. It was believed by State attorneys
in the matter that the paper-trail heavy Franklin
Khan case should go forward first before Williams’ matter
is heard as both are related. They have since changed
position on this issue.
More than a year and eight months have elapsed
since Williams first appeared before Magistrate
Lianne Lee Kim on charges of accepting seven bribes,
totalling $75,000 from PNM Mayaro/Rio Claro councillor
Dansam Dhansook.
It is alleged that Williams and former Cabinet
colleague Franklin Khan accepted bribes from Dhansook
in relation to seismic survey contracts for an
onshore oil project in the Nariva Ramsar site by
Talisman (Trinidad) Petroleum Limited.
The bribes, allegedly given by Dhansook between
January 1, 2003 and July 31, 2003, were allegedly
rewards for the securing of a contract for Dhansook
to supply labour, security and transport to a seismic
survey company. Williams who was then Minister
of Energy subsequently quit his ministerial post.
Trinidad
& Tobago Newsday
Friday, September 14 2007
Copyright
©2007 Trinidad
& Tobago Newsday . All Rights Reserved.
