By: Spokesman Newsroom
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Thursday 17th February 2022) — The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Valston Graham has publicly revealed that he is not the decider in the Lindsay Grant-police officers matter. In a press release dated 17th February 2022 from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Graham stated: “As DPP, I AM NOT the Competent Authority to decide whether the Honourable Lindsay Grant should be charged with obstruction, assault and battery offences. That is simply a matter for the police, and are offences which they charge daily without my input. There are some specific offences where my written consent is required before the police can charge an individual. The allegations against the Honourable Lindsay Grant do not fall within those categories of offences.”
The DPP further clarified: “The ODPP is not an investigative body and cannot instruct the police not to charge an individual. Any suggestion, or belief that the DPP can prevent the police from arresting, charging, or placing anyone before the court is simply misconceived.” Graham stated that he provided a written opinion to Commissioner of Police Mr. Hilroy Brandy on the merits of prosecution in the matter involving Minister Grant and three police officers: “It is now for the Commissioner of Police to decide whether to act upon my advice. It is and has always been within the power of the police whether to charge Mr. Grant. It is not and was never a matter for my determination.”