PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

A High Court judge has adjourned to April next year, the judicial review motion filed by former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday and his wife, Oma, challenging the suitability of a magistrate to hear charges of bribery against them.

The decision by Justice Prakash Moosai yesterday came after lawyers for the Pandays presented what they said was new evidence linking the magistrate to the ruling People's National Movement (PNM).

The Pandays, as well as former minister Carlos John and businessman Ishwar Galbaransingh, have been charged with a series of offences which allege that Galbaransingh and John gave Panday £25,000 (US$49,721) as a bribe to favour Galbaransingh's Northern Construction Ltd in the tendering process for the Piarco International Airport rehabilitation project in 1998.

But the former prime minister and his wife have contended that Magistrate Ejenny Espinet should step down from hearing the matter because of her association with a foundation that the defence attorneys argued is linked to the ruling party.

But the magistrate, who in January this year had indicated that she was prepared to commit all the accused to stand trial on the charges, has refused to step down, forcing the Pandays to seek the judicial review.

The court was told yesterday that new evidence had been uncovered indicating that Alexander Chamberlain Alexis, the father of the magistrate had served as a PNM parliamentarian.

The attorneys representing the Pandays said Alexis was a former Cabinet minister, who had successfully contested the La Brea seat in the 1966 general election and was also a minister of state in the Office of the Prime Minister in that year.

The defence said that the new information adds to issue of apparent bias and needs to be examined.

State attorney Ian Benjamin also requested an adjournment of the matter to deal with affidavits filed and to have all relevant material ready.

The matter has been adjourned to a date in April next year.