Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed will remain on remand after High Court Judge Justice Priscilla Chandra-Haniff declined his request for interim bail on Friday while ordering an expedited hearing of the substantive judicial review proceedings.
The legal challenge, brought by his mother, Bonita Mohamed, seeks to overturn Magistrate Abigail Gibbs’ decision to refuse him bail and remand him on a cybercrime charge.
In delivering her ruling, Justice Chandra-Haniff dismissed an urgent application by the respondents to have the substantive matter thrown out, clearing the way for the case to be heard on its merits.
The judge said the revised timetable was necessary in keeping with the court’s case management powers and the fundamental right to personal liberty.
Under the new directions, the respondents must file their affidavits in defence and detailed written submissions by 10:00h on Monday, November 16.
The applicants must then file their responses and written arguments addressing the substantive bail issues by 18:00h that same day. The substantive hearing has been fixed for Tuesday, November 17, at 9:00h.
Each side will be allowed 45 minutes for additional oral submissions, if necessary. However, the judge made it clear that attorneys must not repeat their written arguments or introduce new grounds during the hearing.
The court’s decision means Mohamed will remain in custody pending further proceedings, while the substantive challenge to the magistrate’s refusal of bail moves forward on an accelerated timetable. (NCN)
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