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DPP appeals dismissal of cases against Westford, Cummings
An appeal has been filed against the recent decision of court to dismiss charges against former Public Service Minister, Dr. Jennifer Westford, and her assistant, Margaret Cummings.
According to the Director of Public Prosecution, the appeal was filed since last Thursday, August 30, 2018.
Junior Finance Minister, Jaipaul Sharma was among persons calling for fresh charges to be filed against Westford and Cummings.
The two were freed of allegations of larceny in public office last Friday after Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman ruled that the charges brought against them were all bad in law.
Westford and Cummings had faced 24 larceny charges, which alleged that between August 2011 and April 2015, while being employed in the Public Service of Guyana, they stole $639,420,000. They were out on $4.8M bail each pending trial.
Both were working under the administration of former President Donald Ramotar.
In her ruling two Fridays ago, Magistrate Latchman said: “I find that at the material time, Dr. Westford and Ms. Cummings were not Public Officers, and since all the charges were for the offence of Larceny by Public Officers. I find that all the charges are bad in law.”
She noted that Westford was not a public officer in keeping with Guyana’s Constitution.
With the case against the former government officials dismissed, concerns are being raised about the future of other matters filed against former officials for alleged wrongdoings.
In his weekly televised programme, Voice of the People, Sharma, who is the leader of the Justice For All Party, a faction of A Partnership For National Unity which forms the larger part of the governing coalition, expressed his opinion on the matter.
He believed that there were enough that new charges should be brought against the duo, but this time under different laws- the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act.
Sharma also expressed concern over the future of similar cases.
”I hope that this matter returns to court because it (the dismissal) is sending the wrong message,” he said.
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