The High Court has dismissed a judicial review application challenging the remand of National Border Patrol Director Daniel Seeram to prison after his conviction for assaulting his ex-wife.
Justice Persaud-Singh ruled on the application. Seeram's lawyer, Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes, said the court found that the magistrate had jurisdiction to remand him and that the decision did not meet the threshold for judicial review.
Hughes explained that the application challenged the remand on several grounds, including that the magistrate had ordered reports on aggravating and mitigating circumstances before sentencing. He also questioned the magistrate's reliance on Section 9 of the Bail Act, arguing that the provision concerns bail pending appeal and that no appeal had been filed at that stage.
Seeram was remanded after Magistrate Abigail Gibbs found him guilty at the Sparendaam Magistrate's Court of assault causing actual bodily harm in connection with a September 2023 incident involving his ex-wife, Farzana Hamid.
Gibbs found inconsistencies in Seeram's account, given under cross-examination, of how Hamid sustained her injuries. Hamid reportedly suffered bruising to her thigh, arm and head, mainly on her left side, as well as a black eye.
Seeram remains in custody pending sentencing, which is set for November 2 at 10:30am.