Lawyers rally around magistrate facing corruption allegations

Attorneys have rallied around a sitting magistrate who is reportedly facing imminent arrest on corruption charges, even before any formal charges have been laid.

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In this country, I have been practicing, next year will be 40 years, where I’ve seen vapour, sometimes called intelligence, converted into supposed ‘evidence’, where untruths are put forward as facts.

The magistrate is alleged to have accepted bribes in exchange for favorable court rulings. However, attorneys, led by Prakash Ramadhar, held a press conference to defend the judicial officer, asserting that the accusations are based on "vapour" and not concrete evidence.

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To undermine a judicial officer is a very serious thing, and it is my view, humbly, that the efforts to tarnish this most noble and hardworking of our judicial officers required a response, and that is why we are here today.

Ramadhar, who has practiced law for nearly 40 years, expressed concern over the potential for "untruths" to be presented as facts. He emphasized the importance of a "robust approach" to ensure balance and lawfulness in the judicial system, particularly in light of the government's efforts to restore integrity. He stated that undermining a judicial officer is a serious matter and that the efforts to tarnish the magistrate's reputation required a response.

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If any action is taken against him, we shall deal with that at that point in time....he will not go unattended.

"If any action is taken against him, we shall deal with that at that point in time....he will not go unattended," Ramadhar declared. He stressed that not all allegations lead to convictions and that the courts are the proper venue to address such matters. He warned that attacking the court itself represents the "gravest danger."

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We will respond with all of our might to restore what is true and what is real…but we hope that the authorities and those who have power to make the decisions before errors are fallen into, will take a very robust approach in looking at what may be presented as potential facts.