GDF judge advocate reviewing case of Major in Good Hope arms find
Stabroek News
June 15, 2003
Oslen Small, the recently appointed GDF Judge Advocate, is currently reviewing the case involving a rank implicated in last December’s Good Hope arms cache find.
The army started court martial proceedings against the Major early in March, following allegations that he might have tried to have three men released after an army patrol found them in possession of a quantity of high- powered weapons, ammunition and surveillance equipment at Good Hope on December 4.
However, the case was discontinued before opening statements could have been presented, due to the death of the presiding judge advocate, Senior Counsel Donald Robinson. Small, a retired High Court judge, was appointed to the position last month.
A senior army source said yesterday that Small “is reviewing the matter with the view of having it reconvened.” No date has been set, as yet, to restart the trial.
The officer is charged with two counts of obstruction of justice and two counts of conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline. If found guilty, sources said he could be stripped of his rank and jailed for up to two years.
Policeman, Sean Belfield and civilians Shaheed Khan and Haroon Gahya, Christopher Small and Rajesh Sahadeo, have since been charged with a number of criminal offences and are on bail pending the outcome of their cases.
The officer at the centre of the controversy was sent on special leave after the allegations surfaced.
