A HIGH COURT judge yesterday dismissed an application by Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday to have expert testimony used in a case filed against a magistrate whom he accuses of apparent bias.

Justice Vasheist Kokaram ruled that an application filed by the Pandays’ attorney Geoffrey Robertson QC, to have the testimony of Dr Susie Orbach admitted into evidence was filed too late.

Panday and his wife Oma are before Kokaram seeking to convince him that there is sufficient evidence to show an apparent bias on the part of Magistrate Ejenny Espinet, who is presiding over a criminal matter involving them.

The Pandays, along with businessmen Ishwar Galbaransingh and Carlos John, are accused of bribery offences related to the Piarco Airport Development Project.

Robertson in his opening submissions said Espinet had a right to have alerted his clients that she had ties with the People’s National Movement (PNM), which is politically opposed to Panday’s United National Congress (UNC).

He added that Espinet’s father Alexander Alexis, was a former Cabinet minister in the PNM administration and Parliamentary Secretary of former prime minister Dr Eric Williams, one of the founding fathers of the party.

Robertson said that the ’blood of the PNM is coursing through the veins’ of Espinet and added that Espinet may have had ’daddy issues’.

The matter continues today.