Syed case moves behind closed doors

(CNS): The former president of the local university who is accused of stealing at least a quarter of a million dollars during his tenure at the University College of the Cayman Islands has still not denied or admitted the offences. Hassan Syed appeared in court again Friday but despite the urging of the crown and the judge’s concerns about his failure to answer the charges against him, the case was adjourned for a closed-door chambers hearing.

Speaking on his behalf Friday, defence attorney Amelia Fosuhene, from Stenning and Associates, implored the court to hear arguments behind closed doors, as she pointed to sensitive disclosure issues relating to the case and the need to raise important and complex matters in private with the judge.

In a letter circulated to the local media, Syed had indicated that he was doing undercover work for the governor’s office into corruption in public office in the Cayman Islands when he was at UCCI. He also claimed to have been involved in the discredited internal police corruption probe, Operation Tempura. During her argument for a closed-door hearing, Fosuhene hinted that if Stenning and Associates was to represent Syed at trial she would need to make applications for disclosure that may involve the FCO.

Fosuhene said that the case was considerably more complicated than the prosecutors realized as she said there were significant issues that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions simply did not know about that impacted the case. The attorney said that some applications that she needed to make could only be done in the judge’s chambers and as yet, having only come on record on 23 January, she had not be able to advise Syed.

Committing to an arraignment hearing next week following the closed-door hearing, Fosuhene also argued that the trial date was unrealistic as the former UCCI president is due to stand trial next month.

Toyin Salako, who is prosecuting the case for the crown against Syed, objected strongly to any movement of the trial date as she said that Syed has known what the charges against him were and when the trial was due to take place for almost a year. Given the number of witnesses and length of the trial, she said that if the March date was vacated it would be unlikely that the courts could accommodate a new trial until 2016. Although Syed has claimed to have had considerable difficulty in finding a lawyer willing to take his case, Salako said it was his responsibility to address his representation.

The judge agreed to a closed-door hearing Friday afternoon but would not vacate the trial date and expressed his concerns that the case was drifting. However, it was re-listed for next Friday and Syed was told he must state then whether he is guilty or not guilty of the counts against him. The charges relate to the misuse of his government credit card during his time as the president of UCCI. Syed is accused of spending public money on Tiffany jewellery and lavish weekends away.