By Robert Hart, Staff ReporterKENT PANTRY Q.C., Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), yesterday admitted that a prosecutor in his office fouled up the handling of the controversial Janice Allen case and hinted at the possibility of criminal charges being filed.
The admission came the same day Opposition Spokesman on Justice, Delroy Chuck, speaking in the Budget debate, called for the expansion of the powers of the Police Public Complaints Authority (PPCA) to strip full control of criminal cases against members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force from the office of the DPP.
In a statement yesterday, the DPP said the prosecutor failed to follow standard procedure, which required him to inform Mr. Pantry of any changed circumstances in the trial of Rohan Allen, the police officer who allegedly killed 13-year-old Janice Allen in April, 2000. Mr. Allen was found not guilty last month when one of the witnesses required to prove the case was said to be off the island and unavailable to offer evidence.
"I would have entered a nolle prosequi (no prosecution) with a condition that the matter would commence de novo (to start over) on the return of the witness," the DPP said.
Mr. Pantry noted that he has requested that Commissioner of Police Francis Forbes forward the results of the investigations "as to the information provided to the prosecutor, so that I may consider whether criminal charges should be pursued."
Meantime, in his contribution to the 2004/2005 Budget debate yesterday, Mr. Chuck put the proposal to increase the powers of the PPCA on the table, claiming that the Canadian equivalent of the PPCA is currently in charge of prosecuting police cases in that country.
