Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall is facing renewed scrutiny over his public commentary on pending criminal proceedings after remarks he made about the three Transport and Harbours Department employees charged in connection with the MV Barima disaster, prompting fresh questions about judicial independence, the presumption of innocence and whether the accused can receive a fair trial free from perceived prejudice.

The controversy comes on the heels of a recent ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in the extradition proceedings involving members of the Mohamed family, in which the region’s highest court delivered a stinging rebuke of the Attorney General’s conduct.

In its judgment, the CCJ found that the Attorney General had demonstrated “bias” and warned that his public comments concerning ongoing judicial proceedings “can undermine the independence of the judiciary and have deleterious effect on the administration of justice and the rule of law in Guyana.” The Court added that such conduct “is to be denounced.”