| The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has transferred recently reinstated Magistrate, Alex Moore,Magistrate Alex Mooreto the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.Moore was moved from the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court and has, in fact, replaced former Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Edmond.The Magistrate had for the past few years been at the East Coast court but he was suspended with pay last November by the five-member body, days after allegations of inappropriate behaviour were made against him by an East Coast Demerara businesswoman.After enduring over three months on suspension, the JSC reinstated him saying it had conducted a full inquiry into the matters relating to Moore that engaged their attention, and they were generally satisfied with the responses he provided.Moore had been summoned to appear before the recently established Commission at the Court of Appeal, High Street, Kingston, for an official inquiry into eight allegations that were leveled against him.Among the allegations Moore defended, were that of inappropriate behaviour made against him by businesswoman, Seerojanie Singh, as well as absence from duties and failure to inform the Chancellor of the Judiciary of his absence.The Magistrate was also made to face the body because of cases he had dismissed while dispensing matters at the busy Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.Though there had been speculation circulating in the media that Moore’s suspension was a spin off of him being heavily criticized for handing down a five-year suspended sentence to confessed drug dealer, Leonard Bacchus, Kaieteur News understands that that was not dealt with by the JSC.Justification had been given that that matter is subject to appeal as filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the JSC, as such, would be refraining from dealing with matters that are engaging the courts.He was represented by Senior Counsel Rex McKay in the closely watched caseThe JSC had not stated whether Moore would return at the Sparendaam court but checks made by this publication yesterday, revealed that the Magistrate now sits at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.The Magistrate now sits in Court 10, replacing Magistrate Chandan-Edmond who received marching orders from the JSC last month.Chandan-Edmond had been dismissed after a hearing by the Commission on several allegations by the JSC, some dating back to as long as six years.She received the dismissal letter the day she was scheduled to sentence son of the nation’s Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds Junior, and a nexus had been drawn that the move was politically motivated.She had found the PM’s son guilty and was set to sentence him the very day with the aid of a probation report. The case remains in limbo since and no clear indication has thus far been given on how the closely watched matter will be dealt with.The matter has since been called twice before Magistrate Annette Singh who had been dealing with Chandan-Edmond’s matters prior to Moore’s transfer. But with Moore in Chandan-Edmond’s court, it is likely that he will be handling the matter.In fact, Kaieteur News understands that the matter is currently engaging the attention of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). She is reportedly expected to advise the Prosecution on the way forward with the matter.Since, Chandan-Edmond had not handed down the sentence, the JSC had justified that another Magistrate can hand down her sentence. But Chandan-Edmond’s decision was pending a probation report which she never had an opportunity to hear, since the Probation Officer did not show up that day.Some legal minds familiar with the case have opined that the matter will be subjected to retrial while others expressed concerns over the direction the matter will take, since no offender can be found guilty twice of any offence.In common law countries,Cheap Jerseys, a defendant may enter a peremptory plea of autrefois convict, meaning the defendant has been convicted of the same offence and hence that they cannot be retried under the principle of double jeopardy.The DPP is expected to return her decision by the next scheduled hearing date, March 19. The matter was previously set for report.Recently, the JSC dismissed Magistrate Chandra Sohan, who also presided at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on a number of infractions. Both Chandan-Edmond and Sohan have since stated publically that the JSC’s decisions were unjust and they intend to seek all legal remedies available to them. |
