Approximately 36 cases left unfinished by former Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar have been restarted and completed, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi says.
Al-Rawi spoke about the matter in Parliament on Friday.
Ayers-Caesar resigned as a High Court judge in 2017 amid controversy when she admitted she left 53 cases under her tenure as a magistrate unfinished.
Al-Rawi said, the Judiciary confirmed 36 matters were started afresh by current Chief Magistrate Maria Busby Earle-Caddle and have been completed, he added.
“The remaining matters (17) that haven’t yet been completed were delayed as a result of awaiting a decision under the Interpretation Summons.”
“This is a matter within the High Court’s jurisdiction. In that context the Office of the Attorney General has been advised by the Judiciary that further enquiries are being made to determine whether any party has sought and received compensation for damages to date and if any information indicating that claims for damages were or is being undertaken in relation to these Magistrate Court matters, the Attorney General’s office will be provided with this,” Al-Rawi said.
On another issue, Al-Rawi also gave an update on costs concerning the investigation into the 2009 Clico/Hindu Credit Union collapse. He estimated costs may end up crossing $500,000.
He said the Director of Public Prosecutions, who has had the Colman Commission of Enquiry (COE) report since 2016, has said he is “close to completion.”
Al-Rawi said the total provision of services to the COE paid for up to October 2016 was $109.3 million. That included $24.8 million paid to four local attorneys—receiving between $3 million and $9 million each—as professional fees. Another $1 million was paid to three other local attorneys for criminal prosecution.
In addition, a further total combined cost for provision of services from October 2016 up to February 20, was $89.1 million, he said.
That includes professional fees to foreign and local counsel.
