The court trial of Mehul Choksi has been adjourned to June 25 on account of his ill-health. The Antiguan citizen and Indian fugitive could not attend a court hearing on June 14 because of his debilitating health. His lawyers had presented a medical report to Justice Wynant Adrian-Roberts indicating that he was too ill to be in court. The magistrate therefore postponed his trial and appearance to June 25.
To solidify his defense team, Choksi hired two top criminal lawyers to join his defense team on Friday. They are Zena Moore-Dyer and her daughter Gina Dyer-Munro. The duo will be joining Julian Prevost, Wayne Norde, and Cara Shillingford-Marsh to defend Choksi in the case of illegal entry into Dominica.
The prosecution also hired Harpreet Singh Giani, an Indian lawyer based in London, to boost the team of Lennox Lawrence, Jodie Luke, Heather Felix Evans, and acting DPP Sherma Dalrymple who are representing the state to prosecute Choksi. Giani said he is appearing as a consultant for the prosecution.
While leading the defense team on Monday, June 14, Zena Moore-Dyer expressed worry that the prosecution made a partial disclosure to colleague Shillingford-Marsh. She also noted that it is unusual and unacceptable that two “watching briefs” representing India and Dominica’s attorney-general should be in court over a hearing for illegal entry.
Justice Adrian Roberts set aside the defense lead’s dissatisfaction with the watching briefs, but ordered the prosecution to provide a full disclosure to the defense. Lennox Lawrence said the full disclosure will be implemented on June 15, the day following the court appearance.
But when Moore-Dyer requested that Choksi is very ill and should be allowed to see a personal doctor of his choice, Justice Roberts refused on the grounds that an incarcerated individual cannot access a private doctor of his choice but is entitled to a doctor provided by the state. He said the state will see to the defendant’s medical care and that that is what Choksi is presently enjoying at the DCFH under police supervision.
This article is copyright © 2021 DOM767
