The defence attorneys in the Benschop treason PI have expressed frustration as the presiding magistrate again deferred the case yesterday.
At a press conference they appealed to the relevant authorities to ensure that the hearing is conducted properly and speedily.
The press conference was held after the presiding magistrate, Chandra Sohan and the Special Prosecutor, Sanjeev Datadin failed to arrive for the hearing yesterday morning. Benschop was not brought to the court. The magistrate
subsequently arrived just before midday and dealt with other matters before him.
At the press conference, lead counsel for Benschop’s defence, Basil Williams, who was accompanied by the other members of the defence team - Mortimer Coddette, Roysdale Forde, Carol Martindale-Howard, Emily Dodson and Shaun Allicock - bemoaned what he described as the frustrating treatment of the attorneys and everyone else with an interest in the matter.
Williams related that he and the other members of the defence had gone to court for the hearing yesterday and were informed by the magistrate’s clerk that he had called and was on his way. However by 11 a.m. he had not turned up. This came after the attorneys had come on Monday, waited for several hours and after they had left, Benschop was brought and remanded by another magistrate. The attorneys had been told that the magistrate was absent because he was not provided with security to escort him from his home in Berbice.
Noting that the prosecutor was also absent on both occasions Williams said it would appear that the lines between the magistrate, the relevant authorities and the prosecutor are much clearer than the ones to the defence. He said the defence had been turning up but were not being told anything.
And when they had sought relief in the chancellor, to direct the magistrate, he said the magistrate could not be located.
Williams offered the suggestion that the magistrate be temporarily accommodated in the city until the completion of the hearing.
His sentiments were echoed by Coddette who noted that the magistrate had indicated “boldly that he was prepared to go until the case is complete. Yet on Wednesday he said he had other things to do.”
He made reference to the letter sent to the magistrate by the Chief Justice, Carl Singh, which was prompted by Benschop’s incarceration “for some time now” despite the magistrate’s stated intention to give the case priority. In the letter Singh told Sohan, the accused “is entitled to expect you to stand by your word.”
However despite the admonition the magistrate adjourned proceedings last Wednesday, Coddette said. He urged that the relevant authorities do something.
And while noting that they could apply to the High Court on the grounds of unreasonable delay he said inherent in that move would only be further delay.
Efforts to contact the magistrate and Datadin for a response proved futile.
Stabroek News was meanwhile informed that Benschop was remanded until today.