BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, CMC – Lawyers representing the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Travers Sinanan have filed a claim in the High Court challenging moves by Attorney General Vincent Byron Junior to have the DPP removed.
The attorneys are alleging that the Attorney General made “unlawful attempts to dictate, control or usurp the work of the Director of Public Prosecutions”.
Angelina Gracy Sookoo, who is the instructing attorney for the DPP, said that despite being repeatedly informed over a period of months the office of the DPP is by settled legal precedent, subject only to the Constitution, the Attorney General asked Sinanan to leave office without any notice on July 31.
She said as a result, the DPP was “forced to instruct lawyers to immediately to act to protect the constitutional position of the Director of Public Prosecution”.
She said on August 3, Sinanan wrote to Byron “seeking a written undertaking” from him that the government will respect the constitutionality of the office of the DPP and who can legally hold office up to the age of 60.
“Up to the time these proceedings were issued, no response or undertaking was received from the Attorney General,” said Sookoo, noting that the letter had also been copied to several stakeholders including the St. Kitts-Nevis Bar Association, the Judicial Legal and Service Commission and the OECS Bar Association.
The attorneys said they are concerned that the action of the Attorney General “are a direct attack on the integrity of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution and completely unconstitutional.
“This case is not just about Mr. Sinanan’s position but about Government acting within the law. It is extremely troubling that the Attorney General should feel that he can ignore the law and act with impunity,” they said.
“Nobody is above the law and this claim has been brought to ensure that this sacred principle is adhered to. In the meantime Mr. Sinanan continues in his position as Director of Public Prosecution,” the attorneys said.
