The son of former president Noor Hassanali appeared in the San Fernando Magistrates Court yesterday charged with failing to secure his personal firearm and ammunition. Khalid Hassanali, 57, vice-president of Planning and Technology at Petrotrin, pleaded not guilty to both charges before Second Court Magistrate Suimungal Ramsaran. Hassanali, who has held several positions in the energy and industrial development sector, was served with a summons last week Monday to appear in court to answer the charges laid by PC Fortune. However, Hassanali was unable to attend court on that date. His attorney Feraz Mohammed appeared on his behalf and the matter was adjourned to yesterday.
Magistrate Ramsaran read the charges, laid under the Firearms Act Chapt 16 01, which claim that between November 2 and 11 at Bon Accord Road, Pointe-a-Pierre, Hassanali failed to secure five rounds of special ammunition. The other charge alleges that on the same date and place he failed to secure a Smith and Wesson .38 special revolver. To both charges Hassanali replied: "I am not guilty." It is alleged that the gun and ammunition went missing from his dwelling house on the Petrotrin compound. Frank Seepersad, who held for Hassanali's attorney Feraz Mohammed, asked for disclosure of any report made by Hassanali in respect to his lost firearm and ammunition and any oral statements made to the police. The magistrate said court prosecutor Sgt Dinanath Haricharan was aware disclosure has to be made. The matter was adjourned to January 20, 2012, for disclosure and to set a date for trial.