Shabazz and his lawyer after they asked that the case brought by the Crown be adjourned for a second time.

Crown counsel Miss Sharon Kenny was ready to begin the appeal against the sentence imposed on Shabazz, who was ordered in April to do 240 hours of community service for stealing $121,000 from the Bank of Bermuda.

The court had reluctantly adjourned the appeal in July after Shabazz' former lawyer Mr. Ian Kawaley said he had not been paid.

But yesterday lawyer Mr. Archie Warner told the tribunal he had just taken over the case on Thursday evening and was not prepared to proceed.

Noting that there were 10 grounds of appeal in the matter and a 200-page record of a trial he knew "very little about'', Mr. Warner said: "I want to give the appellant, as with all of my clients, the best.

"I'm coming into this case cold. That is why I'm urging that we be given one more opportunity and that it be put over to the next session''.

Mr. Warner said he also had other commitments in the Supreme Court.

But the Hon. Mr. Justice DaCosta said "any counsel worth his salt can do this overnight''.

He said the adjournment of the case would result in a waste of a day since it had been set aside for the matter.

Mr. Warner apologised for the delay and promised that it would not happen again.

"With great reluctance we will adjourn this until the next session,'' said the Hon. Sir Denys Roberts, President.

"But have a word with your client and let him know next time the case will be heard with or without a lawyer or dismissed.''