RICHARD SMALL, attorney-at-law representing former co-accused in the Cuban light-bulb corruption trial, Rodney Chin, has described attempts to oust him from aspects of the court sitting as "frivolous, vexatious and an abuse of the court".

Small and attorney-at-law Heron Dale are representing Chin, who has been waiting to take the stand since Wednesday.

Defence attorneys have asked Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey to bar the men from aspects of the sitting and bind them to return as witnesses.

Following a ruling Wednesday evening that subpoenas served on Small and Dale were not proper because they were delivered in the courthouse, police served Small at his office later that evening.

Baffled

In court yesterday, Small said he has not been avoiding service and told the court that he was baffled about why the defence has not approached himself or Dale to testify in the matter.

The team of K.D. Knight, Franklin Halliburton, Deborah Martin and Patrick Atkinson has indicated to the court that it is not satisfied that the prosecution has given all disclosure in relation to how Chin moved from being an accused to a Crown witness.

Meanwhile, Small, in objecting to being asked to leave the court, said the rationale for the subpoenas was not properly grounded. He questioned whether there was "the real intention to call Mr Dale or myself as witnesses" and hinted that any information the defence might be seeking would not be admissible in court since it would be covered by lawyer-client privilege.

Spencer, the member of parliament for North East St Elizabeth, and Coleen Wright are accused of benefiting improperly from the implementation of the Cuban light-bulb programme. They are charged with breaching the Corruption Prevention and Proceeds of Crime acts. Both have pleaded not guilty.

daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com