Today, the 2020 elections fraud trial continued before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly.
But instead of witnesses being called, matters of concern were discussed between the prosecution, defence and the court.
For some time, the prosecution, led by Special Prosecutor and King’s Counsel Darshan Ramdhani has been complaining that witnesses are not being allowed to freely testify as they should.
While Ramdhani has contended that witnesses should be allowed to expand on their previous statements, the defence has countered that information not previously disclosed to them should not be admitted on record.
Magistrate Daly acknowledged that not allowing certain testimony that concerned one of the defendants, Michelle Miller, was indeed an error.
As such, the Magistrate gave permission for the reopening of the examination of the witness, in this case Local Government Minister Sonia Parag.
Parag testified from Monday to Tuesday morning, on the misconduct she witnessed from GECOM staff during the 2020 General and Regional elections.
There was also a fiery exchange between Ramdhani and defence Counsel Eusi Anderson, after the former accused the defence of personal attacks, prompting the court’s intervention.
A decision was eventually taken for the court to be adjourned until August 5, 2024. The trial is set to last from July 29 to September 13, some four years after the 2020 General and Regional Elections.
