DPP unlikely to object to bail for accused during appeal

Apr 01, 2010 News

As the debate continue to rage over the Court of Appeal Amendment Bill which gives the Director of Public Prosecutions the power to appeal, Government says that it is puzzled why there are objections.
As a matter of fact, it is highly unlikely that the DPP would object to bail for an accused in any case where the department intends to appeal.
Minister of Legal Affairs, Attorney General Charles Ramson, yesterday also slammed the opposition parties for objecting to the Bill which for two years has been dragging on.
Not only were members of the Select Committee continuously absent from sittings to discuss the amendment, but even on the day when it was passed, Parliamentarians were seen in the Parliament compound “gaffing” and only arrived when the committee completed its work after only three persons had turned up.
The Amendment Bill had been generating quite a bit of controversy, especially by lawyers, who claimed that prisoners, already facing what seemed to be interminably long trials, are freed and then arrested and re-charged. This meant a longer remand time.
The Bill gives the DPP the right to now appeal criminal cases on which decisions have been handed down once such cases are not to the satisfaction of the DPP.
According to Ramson, the Bill was introduced since 2008 but for several obvious “shenanigans” moves, was delayed for one reason or the other.
After former AG Doodnauth Singh, retired last year, the Bill landed on Ramson’s desk.
The official said that he will not be part of any “lethargy” since Bills in the National Assembly need to be addressed in a timely manner.
Before the passage of the Bill earlier this month, there were nine meetings of the Special Committee, chaired by Ramson, which considered and discussed the Bill.
Stressing that the Bill has no agenda, Ramson said that it must be pointed out that several Caribbean and other countries have adopted similar measures to give the DPP the powers to appeal unsatisfactory decisions. In the past, there were quite a few decisions that did not please the authorities. But the DPP was not empowered to appeal.
Even though the accused has fundamental rights, there is the issue of public justice which is equally important, the Minister said.
The official cited several cases which had troubled the legal fraternity, but could not be appealed.

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DPP unlikely to object to bail for accused during appeal

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