$200M lawsuit against Bascom: Mohamed testifies as trial gets underway
The $200 million defamation lawsuit filed by businessman Azruddin Mohamed against interdicted Police Sergeant Dion Bascom has commenced, with three individuals, including Mohamed, testifying thus far.
During his testimony last week before Justice Nareshwar Harnanan in the High Court, Mohamed was questioned about his character, among other things.
Furthermore, a character witness identified as “Ameir” testified on behalf of the businessman.
When contacted for a comment, Naresh Poonai, one of the attorney-at-laws representing Mohamed, stated, “I do not comment on matters, especially matters in Court.”
Attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes is representing Bascom. The case has been adjourned to September for the continuation of the trial.
Bascom took social media by a storm in 2022 after he was released from Police custody in connection with a drug bust at a Norton Street, Georgetown residence.
In a Facebook Live, which he has since removed, Bascom claimed that his arrest was a conspiracy to kill him and linked Mohamed to covering up the murder of Ricardo Fagundes, also known as “Paper Shorts.”
Following Bascom’s allegations, Mohamed sent him a lawyer’s letter requesting that he immediately desist from repeating or making any defamatory allegations, issue a retraction, and offer an “unqualified apology.” However, the Police Sergeant said he stands by his allegations and noted.
In a Facebook post, Mohamed said one of his competitors in the gold industry is the driving force behind Bascom’s allegations. In fact, he alleged that Bascom and the gold dealer were close friends. The GPF later held this position while painting Bascom as compromised.
The businessman, well-known for his philanthropy work, in a Statement of Claim (SoC), is seeking more than $100 million in damages for defamation and exemplary, punitive, and aggravated damages over $100 million.
