Let the DPP do it, says Thomas

Prominent lawyer Jomo Thomas has indicated that he will wait until he brings civil charges to prosecute the case against four police officers who have been charged with assaulting a teenager.{{more}}

Thomas made this clear, in response to a statement made by the officers’ lawyer Arthur Williams, who has suggested that the Director of Public Prosecutions Colin Williams allow Thomas to prosecute the criminal case.

Last Thursday, July 9, when the policemen: Hadley Ballantyne, Casanki Quow, Elmore Alexander and Osrick James appeared in court charged with causing actual bodily harm to 15-year-old Jemark Jackson, defence lawyer Arthur Williams suggested that DPP Colin Williams give Thomas the opportunity to try the case, seeing that he was at the forefront of calling for the policemen’s arrest.

After recognizing the media in the packed courtroom, Williams said that he hoped that if the case is tried by DPP Williams, that the media would not say that the case was ‘cooked up’.

Upon hearing the suggestion by the veteran attorney, Thomas said that he had confidence in the DPP and his office to do a fair job at the trial. “The DPP is the premier prosecutional body in the country; he has the resources of the state, so I will leave it up to him.”

DPP Williams, also commenting on the suggestion, said that he had not given any thought to recruiting Thomas. “The matter will be prosecuted by our office,” Williams said. “If Jomo has the time, maybe we could work together.”

DPP Williams indicated that his decision to call for charges against the men was in no way an attack against the Police Force. “It is not that I have problems with anybody in particular, but if the evidence points in a certain direction, we have to go with what the evidence shows.”

Thomas added that he was disappointed with the long delay in the men being charged, following the recommendation to do so by DPP Williams to Commissioner of Police Keith Miller.

Thomas also expressed dismay that Deputy Commissioner Bertie Pompey, acting in the capacity of Commissioner of Police recently, stated that he was certain that the men would be vindicated and that there was no need to bring charges against them.

Pompey is also reported to have stated that the accused officers should be charged just for the purpose of transparency.

“We are a country of laws, not a country of men. We can’t have two sets of standards; one for civilians and one for the constabulary,” Thomas quipped.(JJ)