Court upholds charges against Panday

The court has dismissed a no case motion filed by attorneys representing former prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago Basdeo Panday, who is charged with failing to declare the assets of a London-based bank account to the Integrity Commission.



Queen's Counsel David Aaronberg, had made the no-case submission before Magistrate Marcia Murray arguing that the prosecution had led no evidence to prove that Panday was the beneficiary of the account.



However, in dismissing the motion, Magistrate Murray said she was of the view that the State was successful in establishing a prima facie case.



Aaronberg immediately argued for a stay in the proceedings arguing that his client was not receiving a fair trial based on a number of issues including pre-trial publicity and political mischief-making.



He also questioned why Panday was the sole person to be charged under the Integrity in Public Life Act, despite a number of other individuals also being referred by the commission to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.



Panday is facing three charges of failing to declare the joint account between him and his wife Oma, to the Commission for the years 1997, 1998 and 1999 while he was head of government.