Basdeo Panday Freed

Magistrate discharges former PM on charges of failing to declare London bank account to Integrity Commission

The sun rises again for former prime minister and United National Congress (UNC) founder, Basdeo Panday.
The cloud of corruption was yesterday lifted from the veteran politician when he was acquitted of charges of failing to declare the assets of a London-based bank account to the Integrity Commission for three consecutive years.

these were trumped up charges against basdeo by manning . manning of all people bringing charges?

Murray said the Commission had failed to advise the President to appoint a tribunal to enquire into Panday's declarations.
"Mr Panday was not given the opportunity to which he was entitled, to be heard by a properly constituted tribunal. The referral of Mr Panday's declarations to the Director of Public Prosecutions was therefore ill-conceived and it matters not that the Director of Public Prosecutions found that there was sufficient evidence to lay the charges. In the court's view, failing to accord Mr Panday due process under the Act amounts to misconduct on the part of the Integrity Commission," Murray said.
The magistrate further stated that without misconduct on the part of the commission, the issue of Panday being charged and brought before the court would not have arisen.
"It is the court's view that the misconduct of the Integrity Commission was so serious that it would undermine public confidence in the criminal justice system and bring it into disrepute. The court therefore is compelled to stop these proceedings to protect the integrity of the criminal justice system," said Murray.

Following yesterday's ruling, Panday told reporters that in the past ten years since he had been charged, on many occasions he had experienced "ups and downs."
He said, "after listening to my lawyers' submissions, I knew it was just a matter of time before the matters were dismissed."
Panday's daughter, Mickela, who also represented him in the matters, said she was relieved that the right decision was made in the matters after it has been before the court for so many years.