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Prosecutor Gilbert Peterson, announced that the state of Trinidad & Tobago no longer was willing to pursue charges against the island’s Chief Justice, Satnarine Sharma. As a result, Senior Magistrate Lianne Lee Kim, dismissed the charge of perversion of justice and told the CJ, “You are discharged." The move reportedly came after the state’s chief witness, Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls, indicated he is no longer willing to testify. Leader of the Opposition United National Congress, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, called for “… a thorough explanation to the national community” on the dismissal and urged possibly for the introduction of charges against the Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls and other key players in the matter. “It is a matter of concern that the Chief Magistrate, the Prime Minister and the Director of Public Prosecutions proceeded with such aggression, conviction and confidence in this matter, dragging the characters of at least two senior judicial officers into a spectacle that maligned and irrevocable damaged their reputations in the full glare of the international community and bringing the entire administration of justice into disrepute, only to retreat after the damage is done,” she stated. "The public needs to know why the sudden change of heart in pursuing this court matter at this time when hundreds of thousands of dollars in state and private funds and hours of precious judicial time have been wasted.” Sharma for his part declined to say much but vowed that the case was far from over. He, however, still has an impeachment charge hanging over his head. |
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