Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George SC yesterday rejected an application by gold dealer Saddiqi Rasul to block Magistrate Crystal Lambert from proceeding with her trial for allegedly defrauding the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) of $900 million.
Weeks after Rasul was faced with six charges resulting from an investigation into the alleged fraud, the prosecution withdrew them and re-charged Rasul under a different section of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act.
As a result, Rasul’s lawyer put forward a plea of “Autrefois Acquit” but this was overruled by the presiding magistrate. It was as a result of this development that Rasul filed an application in the High Court to block.
