Despite attempts by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack to have Magistrate Leron Daly removed from hearing the Detective Dion Bascom Cyber Crime Case, the City magistrate will be presiding over the trial early next year.
Last month, the DPP wrote Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings requesting that Senior Magistrate Leron Daly be removed from hearing the case against Bascom.
In the letter, the DPP said admitted that Magistrate Daly does not appear to have a personal interest in the matter before her. However, she complained that the conduct of the Magistrate during one of the early hearings is sufficient reason for her to be removed from hearing the case.
The DPP was unhappy that the Magistrate ordered the Police Legal Adviser, Attorney Mandel Moore to be removed from the Court and taken into custody briefly over his refusal to provide the Court with a copy of the Police press conference that saw a response to the cover-up claims made by the Police Sergeant Dion Bascom.
When the matter was called on Tuesday, Magistrate Daly was prepared to recuse herself from the case, but she was instructed to continue hearing the case by the Chief Magistrate.
The Chief Magistrate expressed the view that the DPP’s complaint did not provide any cause or evidence for the Magistrate to be removed and additionally, the Chancellor had not asked for the Magistrate to be removed either.
Consequently, Magistrate Daly will commence the trial in the Bascom case next February.
The DPP was heavily criticized by some Attorneys for her actions which sought the removal of the Magistrate.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login