State
closes case against former minister
Port Spain
Petroleumworldtt.com
12 09 07
The
State yesterday closed its case against former energy minister Eric Williams
without calling its final witness and without getting a new lead prosecutor.
The matter was adjourned to December 20, after
Williams informed Senior Magistrate Luncina Cardenas-Ragoonanan
that he would remain silent but intended to call
two witnesses on his behalf-the Transport Commissioner
and the Chief Immigration Officer.
At
yesterday's hearing after the State made the
announcement through State attorney George Busby,
Cardenas-Ragoonanan asked Williams: "You have
heard the evidence, do you have anything to say?"
Williams said he wished to remain silent but wanted
two witnesses summoned.
This means that the magistrate
has found there is sufficient evidence to support
a prima facie case against the former government
minister.
Before closing the State's case, Busby made an
application to have the matter adjourned to January
21, 2008, to retain the services of another Queen's
Counsel, since British Queen's Counsel Peter Thornton
has since been elevated to the High Court in London.
The State had intended to call Natasha Beharry
as it final witness but she was unavailable.
Beharry was due to testify on previous occasions
at the preliminary inquiry into corruption charges
against Williams, but was absent.
Story
by Denyse
Renne from
Trinidad Express.
Trinidad
Express
Saturday,
December 8th 2007
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