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Lisa Hanna not exonerated from nepotism and cronyism allegations, says DPP

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DPP Paula Llewellyn and NIA Executive Director Professor Trevor Munroe
 
Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn is seeking to make it clear her ruling on the investigation of alleged corruption involving St. Ann South East member of parliament Lisa Hanna is not an exoneration of her.
 
Miss Hanna escaped criminal charges but was scolded for nepotism and cronyism over the award of contracts valued at $3 million to 12 people linked to the People's National Party.
 
The PNP has said the DPP's ruling puts the matter at rest as it exonerates Ms Hanna from criminal conduct.
 
However, speaking Monday on Radio Jamaica's Beyond the Headlines, Ms Llewellyn said that is not how her ruling should be interpreted. 
 
"The DPP or a prosecutor has no power to exonerate anyone. When we put a ruling forward and we indicate that there is insufficient material to form the basis of a criminal charge, that is not an exoneration...we are just stating the law and the facts," she insisted.  
 
Ms Llewellyn also pointed out that the fact that she does not recommend criminal charges in a particular instance does not mean the case is closed. She said in some cases new evidence is presented and charges laid.
 
"I'm not saying that this would happen here, but in my line of work, I never say never, unless it is that I'm offering no evidence in a matter," she maintained. 
 
Make report public 
 
In the meantime, Executive Director of National Integrity Action Professor Trevor Munroe has said the DPP's full opinion on the Lisa Hanna matter should be published.
 
He said publication of such opinions should become standard practice as "the public needs greater transparency in order to have the level of accountability that would help to make out governance arrangement less a source of distress and more a means of confidence." 
 
The ruling in relation to Ms Hanna had been with the Integrity Commission, into which the Office of the Contractor General was subsumed, since July 2019 but has not been made public.
 
 


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