Justice Navindra Singh yesterday placed a life ban from jury service on the foreman in the recently-concluded Lusignan massacre trial for failing to disclose that he was once a client of attorney Nigel Hughes, who represented one of the two accused who were acquitted.
Justice Singh called Vernon Griffith, of Lot 1455 Diamond, East Bank Demerara, before him in the High Court yesterday morning in the presence of other jurors, who were waiting to be empanelled for a new matter. It was there under questioning that Griffith admitted that Hughes was his lawyer in a civil matter he had before the court. Griffith’s non-disclosure was described as “highly improper” by the judge, who announced that he would be ordering an investigation.
Neither Hughes nor Griffith said anything about this to the court at the onset of the trial and the lawyer-client relationship was only known after the trial had wrapped and two employees of the High Court, who were aware Hughes had represented Griffith, brought it to the Judge’s attention.
Hughes, who is currently overseas, told Stabroek News in an invited comment that it is impossible for him to
