Guyana Chronicle
March 6, 2001

THE pilot and passenger allegedly attacked in mid-air by Chronicle reporter Sharon Lall, were absent from court yesterday and the case was postponed again.

Police Prosecutor, Inspector Christopher Griffith said aircraft pilot Yacoob Mazaharally and Vidya Gooray were supposed to be present yesterday but after he got no response when he called for them twice the case was put off until March 12.

The case against Lall, accused of attempting to murder the two in mid-air, was to have commenced yesterday at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate's Court, West Coast Demerara.

TV `talk show' host, Mark Benschop, and Dr Bhiro Harry who were asked to be in court yesterday were also absent.

However, Magistrate Oscar Parvattan said there was no reason for them to testify now that Lall, 21, has been granted bail.

The magistrate last week refused Lall bail, because, among other things, she had allowed Benschop to interview her after she was charged.

Under the law, the media are allowed to report only what takes place in court.

The magistrate yesterday reiterated that a breach was committed by Benschop when he allegedly interviewed the accused and aired the conversation on television.

Harry has been treating Lall.

Lall, in a brown dress, was ushered into the courtroom by her attorney Mr Khemraj Ramjattan.

She was granted $150,000 bail on February 27 when her lawyer made a bail application before Judge Oswell Legall at the High Court.

Lall was previously remanded to the East La Penitence police station when she made her first court appearance before Parvattan on February 26.

According to reports, she spent two days and nights in the lock-ups before she was released.

Prior to that, the accused was kept at the Georgetown Hospital under police custody under an order by Chief Magistrate Paul Fung-a-Fat.

Lall is accused of attempting to murder Mazaharally and Gooray on January 29 in a Cessna four seat aircraft.

The plane had left the Ogle airstrip for Spring Gardens, Essequibo when the reporter, who was on annual vacation, allegedly stabbed the pilot.

Reports said Gooray, who was with her nine-year-old daughter on the aircraft, intervened and was wounded in a hand.

The pilot managed to land safely back at the Ogle airstrip, East Coast Demerara.