MV Barima tragedy CoI will not affect prosecution of murder charges against T&HD workers – DPP

See full statement from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP):

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is an independent office under Article 187 of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and shall not be subject to the direction and control of any other person or authority.

The DPP is also vested with the authority and power in any case in which the DPP considers desirable, to institute and undertake criminal proceedings against any person before any court, of any offence against the laws of Guyana, and to generally, have control over any such proceedings instituted or undertaken.

In the exercise of those powers, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions reviewed a file in relation to the MV Barima tragedy of the investigations done by the Guyana Police Force in relation thereto, and duly advised the institution of the charges of murder against the Captain of the vessel Kevin Price, Chief Mate, Rondel Dwayne Roberts, and the Goods Superintendent of Transport and Harbours Department, Delon Granderson.

The decision to do so was based upon careful consideration of the evidence presented, the relevant principles of law involved, case law authorities from the United Kingdom, Commonwealth jurisdictions, the European Court of Human Rights, and public policy considerations.

I have noted the impending establishment of an independent Commission of Inquiry by His Excellency the President and wish to state that the business of this Commission of Inquiry will not affect the prosecution of the charge instituted; they can proceed simultaneously as was done in the cases of the piracy charges in the Berbice matter in 2018, and the fraud charges in the 2020 Regional and General Elections.

Given the unprecedented magnitude of this matter, coupled with public interest factors, the prosecution will be conducted with due consideration of the work of the Commission of Inquiry.