$1.7M Boost From Criminal Proceeds

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(PLTM) - Last year, the territory benefited from an injection of $1, 740,161, representing monies forfeited to the Crown through criminal cases heard in the Magistrate’s court.

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Tiffany Scatliffe-Esprit made the revelations to the House of Assembly’s Standing Finance Committee (SFC). During her appearance before the Committee, Scatliffe-Esprit said the figures presented covered 2021 up to November 5.

According to the DPP, a further US$1,297, 933.47 has been detained in 2019, 2020 and 2021, but these are part of ongoing Magistrate’s Court matters.

In her presentation, the DPP informed legislators that her office filed 223 criminal complaints in the Magistrate’s Court while 251 matters were concluded, 120 criminals and 131 traffic.

Of the criminal matters, the DPP outlined that there were 80 convictions, 23 matters committed to the High Court while there were10 acquittals.

She also disclosed that there were 23 indictments filed while there were 12 matters heard in the High Court. Of the High Court matters, there were eight convictions, three acquittals and one nolle prosequi.

The DPP also shared that there were two matters heard in the Court of Appeal and the Crown discontinued two appeals.

Security, Low Pay Challenges

Scatliffe-Esprit told Legislators that unfortunately some of the concerns that were raised in November 2020, had remained an issue, and it was necessary to revisit them again in 2021. Those concerns included more adequate, secure, safe and healthy accommodation for the office, security of Counsel, staff training and staffing.

With regards to staffing, she advised that all posts have been filled, with the exception of four Senior Crown Counsel posts and 1 Office Generalist III. She stated that the Senior Crown

the DPP outlined that Counsel positions were in active recruitment and candidates were being interviewed at the time of the meeting, and it was hoped that the positions would be filled by January 2022.

She further stated that three local persons interested in studying law were hired in administrative positions, and it was the hope that they would be trained and eventually be promoted to legal positions. The DPP noted that there were still problems with the recruitment of locals to legal positions given the remuneration were too low to compete with the private sector.

She said that a new spending request was made to increase the base salary of the Senior Crown Counsel.

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