BY TANESHA MUNDLE Observer staff reporter mundlet@jamaicaobserver.com Tuesday, August 12, 2014
THE corruption trial of entertainers Vybz Kartel and Gaza Slim yesterday suffered yet another delay and failed to start in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court.
Vybz Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer; Gaza Slim, whose given name is Vanessa Saddler; and their co-accused Andre Henry are facing charges of attempting and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
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| Vybz Kartel |
However, the case was postponed due to the unavailability of witnesses and the late serving of documents by the Crown.
The absence of defence lawyer Pierre Rodgers, who is representing the female entertainer, also factored in the postponement.
Rodgers, who had an emergency and had to leave the island, was yesterday represented by Attorney Nicole Burgher. However, when the trial was about to start, Burgher informed the court that she had just received five witness statements and would need time to peruse the documents and to get instructions from her client.
She also told presiding magistrate, Simone Wolfe-Reece that she had not received two compact discs with telephone evidence and asked for an adjournment.
Prior to Burgher's request for an adjournment, attorney Christian Tavares-Finson, who was standing in for his father, Tom, complained to the court that he had not received full disclosure of the documents in the case. Tom Tavares-Finson, who is also off the island, is representing Vybz Kartel.
The issue of disclosure was eventually settled, but the court was then informed that the prosecution, too, was experiencing some challenges with the availability of witnesses for the matter.
The prosecutor told the court that one of the technical witnesses from telecoms company Digicel was also overseas on vacation, while another lived overseas, and that communication was normally done through the one who is on vacation. more
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