AG Nandlall sues James Bond, Jaipaul Sharma for libel

Guyana’s Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, is jointly suing former Coalition government Minister, Jaipaul Sharma and member of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), James Bond over a post both men made on their Facebook accounts on Tuesday.

Nandlall is seeking from both men in excess of $25M for each of the libelous statements made in their respective posts. He is also seeking orders that the two publish a correction and apology within seven days of the date of the Court’s decision and an order requiring the public posts to be removed.
The AG is also seeking a permanent injunction restraining James and Sharma and their representatives from publishing further posts or similar words seen as defamatory to him.

Additionally, Nandlall is asking the court to grant him in excess of $25M for special damages and in excess of $25M for aggravated and exemplary damages along with other order(s) the court deems just and proper.
The issue stemmed from a Facebook post made by Sharma on Tuesday where he implicated Nandlall’s private law firm in the transfer of state property under the last People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government.

The AG denied the allegations and first reached out to Sharma, threatening legal action if the post was not deleted. But Sharma stood firm on his utterances and published another post and then a third.
Bond later reposted Sharma’s posts and issued one of his own to which Nandlall claimed he acted with “malice” and issued statements which he believes were derogatory towards him.
Sharma has since claimed that suspicious vehicles with armed men were visiting his Diamond, East Bank Demerara home. He wanted police protection for his home.