It might not be practical for DPP to be sole prosecutor of corruption cases - JFJ

 

Executive Director of Jamaicans for Justice Mickel Jackson says it might not be practical to have the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions as the sole responsible body for prosecuting cases involving corruption.

 

Government Member of Parliament Everald Warmington recommended that the provisions of the Integrity Commission's Act which give prosecutorial powers to the Integrity Commission be deleted since they constitutionally exist with the DPP.

 

But Ms. Jackson believes there needs to be some clarity on whether the suggestion made by Mr. Warmington would undermine the role of the Director of Corruption Prosecutions (DCP) in the Integrity Commission.

 

She added that the DPP's office has not had enough successful prosecutions for it to be responsible for corruption cases. 

 

"If it is that there is a difference of opinion between the DPP and the DCP, then naturally the DPP's opinion would take the final say," she suggested.

 

"However, we have seen where the DPP over the years, that office has not demonstrated that the cases involving corruption and corruption-related matters have seen the levels of prosecution that one would like, and I'm fearful that if we go back to that setting, even with that special prosecution, we will see perhaps...very much delay in the prosecution cases happening," said the JFJ executive director.