PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):
A HIGH Court judge has called on members of the public to pray for the judiciary.
Justice Herbert Volney's call yesterday, during a murder trial in San Fernando, comes on the heels of a raging controversy between Chief Justice Satnarine Sharma and Prime Minister Patrick Manning.
Volney, presiding in the San Fernando First Criminal Court, told the 12-member jury during the trial of Irene Ragbir and others yesterday: "Pray in particular for the judiciary, because we are in need of your prayers.
"When you go home, those of you who are praying souls, pray for our country."
Referring to media reports on the controversy Justice Volney said "What we read is happening is quite frightening, especially to us who hold public office ..."
The jurors were then released until today.
IMPROMPTU MEETING
The Chief Justice had been summoned to an impromptu meeting with the Prime Minister on Tuesday at Manning's Whitehall office, after a complaint was made against him by Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls.
In a letter sent to the Prime Minister between May 3 and May 5, 2006, McNicolls alleged that Sharma summoned him to his office during Basdeo Panday's trial, suggesting he should free the former leader of the three charges of failure to declare his London bank account.
He also claimed that the Chief Justice wanted him to give a written draft of his ruling in the case before he delivered it.
Panday was convicted on three charges for failing to declare his London bank account and sentenced to two years in jail with hard labour on each charge.
This is the second allegation of interference made against Sharma.
The first was during the preliminary inquiry into the murder of Dr Chandra Naraynsingh, in which DPP Geoffrey Henderson and Attorney General John Jeremie both claimed Sharma approached them to drop the case against vascular surgeon Prof Vijay Naraynsingh.
This is currently at the centre of a legal battle between the State and Sharma.
However, the Chief Justice has written his own letter of complaint against the Chief Magistrate and has referred it to the Judicial and Legal Services Commission for investigation.
In a statement on Wednesday Sharma said he would not be "hounded out of office".
