Tweet
FIGHT! - Director of elections takes on Dabdoub
Court clash
Director of elections takes on Dabdoub
PAUL HENRY, Observer staff reporter
henryp@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, December 20, 2007
WALKER. confronted Dabdoub inside the court
DIRECTOR of Elections Danville Walker yesterday had to be led away from the Supreme Court in downtown Kingston by a female lawyer after throwing verbal blows at the People's National Party's (PNP) Abe Dabdoub, just seconds after the luncheon adjournment of the case brought against West Portland MP Daryl Vaz by Dabdoub.
Dabdoub is seeking to have Vaz disqualified as an MP, alleging that he had both American and Jamaican citizenship and was not fit to hold office in the Jamaican legislature.
Yesterday's close brush-up come just after Chief Justice Zaila McCalla left the Number Nine courtroom.
The towering Walker, who had just came under harsh cross-examination from attorney Gayle Nelson, confronted Dabdoub inside the court where a heated verbal exchange started in the presence of several other attorneys.
Dabdoub then left the courtroom, closely followed by Walker who got within inches of Dabdoub's face, telling him to get a good lawyer.
During Walker's tirade, Dabdoub asked: "Why you making the thing political?"
Walker, whose face by then was turning red, responded: "I always deal with you straight up. If you have a tape run it nuh."
With fist clenched, a stuttering Walker told Dabdoub an expletive.
Fearing that the matter may escalate into a fight, the small-bodied Nicole Foster Pusey, director of litigation in the Office of the Attorney General, grabbed Walker by the right hand, yanking him from in front of Dabdoub.
The tape to which Walker referred had to do with a conversation between himself and Dabdoub, before the September 3 general election, about a notice Dabdoub had posted in the West Portland constituency that Vaz was not duly nominated because he was the holder of a US citizenship contrary to Section 42 (b) of the constitution.
Walker told the court yesterday that it was his view before the election, and still is, that all 146 candidates who contested the election were properly nominated. Walker also said that because of the notices published in West Portland and similar such notices in several other constituencies, he issued press releases on August 16 and 31, imploring electors not to "fall prey to political gimmickry" that a vote for the candidates with alleged dual citizenship would be wasted.
Walker said during cross-examination that he issued the press releases inspite of reading Sections 42 (b) and 39 of the Constitution which speaks to what qualified or disqualified candidates for seeking elections as MPs.
Walker added that he was of the view that only a court could say who could be qualified from running in a general election.
Nelson asked Walker if he was aware that it was the duty of the returning officer to reject or accept a nomination, to which he answered yes.
Nelson also asked Walker if he had sought any legal advice when the matter of dual citizenship was brought to his attention to which he said no.
Nelson then suggested to Walker that he and Vaz were friends and hence his refusal to properly address the dual citizenship allegations before the election to which Walker again answered no.
Walker then said that he was more closer to Dabdoub than Vaz and that the only business he had with Vaz was when he (Walker) borrowed a motorbike from Vaz for his son two years ago.
The hearing continues today.
Director of elections takes on Dabdoub
PAUL HENRY, Observer staff reporter
henryp@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, December 20, 2007
WALKER. confronted Dabdoub inside the court
DIRECTOR of Elections Danville Walker yesterday had to be led away from the Supreme Court in downtown Kingston by a female lawyer after throwing verbal blows at the People's National Party's (PNP) Abe Dabdoub, just seconds after the luncheon adjournment of the case brought against West Portland MP Daryl Vaz by Dabdoub.
Dabdoub is seeking to have Vaz disqualified as an MP, alleging that he had both American and Jamaican citizenship and was not fit to hold office in the Jamaican legislature.
Yesterday's close brush-up come just after Chief Justice Zaila McCalla left the Number Nine courtroom.
The towering Walker, who had just came under harsh cross-examination from attorney Gayle Nelson, confronted Dabdoub inside the court where a heated verbal exchange started in the presence of several other attorneys.
Dabdoub then left the courtroom, closely followed by Walker who got within inches of Dabdoub's face, telling him to get a good lawyer.
During Walker's tirade, Dabdoub asked: "Why you making the thing political?"
Walker, whose face by then was turning red, responded: "I always deal with you straight up. If you have a tape run it nuh."
With fist clenched, a stuttering Walker told Dabdoub an expletive.
Fearing that the matter may escalate into a fight, the small-bodied Nicole Foster Pusey, director of litigation in the Office of the Attorney General, grabbed Walker by the right hand, yanking him from in front of Dabdoub.
The tape to which Walker referred had to do with a conversation between himself and Dabdoub, before the September 3 general election, about a notice Dabdoub had posted in the West Portland constituency that Vaz was not duly nominated because he was the holder of a US citizenship contrary to Section 42 (b) of the constitution.
Walker told the court yesterday that it was his view before the election, and still is, that all 146 candidates who contested the election were properly nominated. Walker also said that because of the notices published in West Portland and similar such notices in several other constituencies, he issued press releases on August 16 and 31, imploring electors not to "fall prey to political gimmickry" that a vote for the candidates with alleged dual citizenship would be wasted.
Walker said during cross-examination that he issued the press releases inspite of reading Sections 42 (b) and 39 of the Constitution which speaks to what qualified or disqualified candidates for seeking elections as MPs.
Walker added that he was of the view that only a court could say who could be qualified from running in a general election.
Nelson asked Walker if he was aware that it was the duty of the returning officer to reject or accept a nomination, to which he answered yes.
Nelson also asked Walker if he had sought any legal advice when the matter of dual citizenship was brought to his attention to which he said no.
Nelson then suggested to Walker that he and Vaz were friends and hence his refusal to properly address the dual citizenship allegations before the election to which Walker again answered no.
Walker then said that he was more closer to Dabdoub than Vaz and that the only business he had with Vaz was when he (Walker) borrowed a motorbike from Vaz for his son two years ago.
The hearing continues today.
Comment