Roadtown, Tortola - The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is making strides towards taking over all prosecutions in the Magistrates Court by counsel.

Director of the Office of Public Prosecutions Mr. Terrence Williams told the Department of Information and Public Relations that he advised the Commissioner of Police Mr. Reynell Frazer on August 14 of his office’s determination to complete the takeover of all prosecutions in the Magistrate’s Court by counsel.  This evolution has been a gradual one starting about eight years ago with prosecutors of the Attorney General’s Chambers marshalling all Preliminary Inquiries.

According to Mr. Williams, “Prior to these changes the Territory’s prosecuting services was largely bifurcated with Assizes prosecutions done by lawyers of the Attorney General’s Chambers (and since 2007 the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions) and Magistrate’s Court cases handled by police officers assigned by the Commissioner of Police.  In this way many police officers served as lay prosecutors and we particularly recall the sterling service of Chief Inspectors Vere Browne and Gregory Alleyne and, Inspectors Jefferson Knight, Joel Gumbs and Duncan Williams.”

Mr. Williams said, “the increasing complexity of matters at the Magistrate’s Court calls for the skills and knowledge of someone learned in law and those matters which remain relatively simple will provide good training for fresh counsel.  Further, the separation of prosecutions between two departments muddled the issues of reporting and accountability.”

He added that “apart from these administrative reasons we also felt the need to have a legal officer independent of the police force ensure that charges are laid and continued only where there is sufficient reliable evidence.  In this regard we have, for over a year now, introduced the compulsory vetting of all cases by counsel at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions thus taking over another one of the previous responsibilities of the police prosecutor.”

“As with all changes the transition may not always be smooth.  The Commissioner of Police has already begun rearranging the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force’s affairs mindful of their continuing responsibility to secure the courts, file complaints, serve process and keep statistics.  I am particularly proud of the way in which my own staff members have taken to their new duties and continue to grow in confidence in the face of their new tasks,” Mr. Williams concluded.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is responsible for instituting and undertaking criminal proceedings against any person in respect of any offence against any law in the Virgin Islands.