Freddie Kissoon and his lawyer, Nigel Hughes in discussion after Thursday's hearing.

Jason Abdulla-former President, Bharrat Jagdeo’s witness in the libel case against newspaper columnist, Freddie Kissoon- says he was never asked to search for the offending words “ideological racism” in the columnist’s writings.

Jagdeo has sued Kissoon, seeking GUY$10 million in libel damages for allegedly calling him an ideological racist in a June 28, 2010 Kaieteur News column titled ‘King Kong sent his goons to disrupt the conference’

Kissoon’s lawyer, Nigel Hughes, on Thursday completed cross-examination of Abdulla after he told the High Court that he was never asked by Office of the President Press and Publicity Affairs Officer, Kwame Mc Coy to look for the words “ideological racist.”

When the case resumes on July 30 before Justice Brassington Reynolds, Hughes plans to begin examining the first of more than12 witnesses to prove that Kissoon’s contention is factual. The Defence Lawyer said the witnesses would include academics and experts.

“The defence will be presenting its case on the next occasion, in excess of a dozen witnesses to confirm that the plaintiff is ideologically racist,” said Hughes. The first witness is expected to be a foreign academic. No name has been provided.

Hughes said he would not be calling on Jagdeo to appear in court because he would then become the Defence’s witness. At the same time, he said the former president’s lawyers have lost a good opportunity for him to stand in the witness box.

“We don’t want him to be our witness. He had his opportunity to come. He hasn’t come to o establish anything,” Hughes told reporters.

The case could go on for another six months.

Under pressure during cross-examination, at one time Abdulla gave a ‘suck teeth’ when he was pressed on whether, apart from the Kissoon columns, he had carried any other news about the columnist to Mc Coy. “I never said my function was to carry news to anybody and to carry news to Mr.Mc Coy. I don’t know where you got that from,” a visibly perturbed Abdulla told the court.

When Hughes grilled Abdulla on whether he believed that the lawyer was an associate of criminals because Jagdeo had said so and that it had been repeated, Abdulla retorted “you trying to put words in my mouth.”

Justice Reynolds later urged the witness to answer the questions pointedly as was required and that he was free to seek clarifications.

Abdulla has already said that he does not know the meaning of Fascist and fascist manifestation although he could spell the words.

During Thursday’s testimony, under cross examination by Attorney Christopher Ram, Abdulla said he was not trained in journalism but he possesses Grade Three in Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) English. He said he also he pursued studies in Public Management at the University of Guyana’s Institute of Distance and Continuing Education (IDCE) and also did “a few computer courses.”