No criminal charges will be laid against members of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in connection with the spying incident involving a member of the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF).
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DPP Nelson |
Senator Arley Gill and several executive members of Congress were questioned in the past week by lawmen for allegedly beating police officer 77 Kelon Noel of the Special Branch after he was caught engaged in an under cover operation against a National Executive meeting of the main opposition party.
Informed sources told GRENADA TODAY that Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Christopher Nelson reviewed the evidence of the case and advised the Police Force not to lay any charges in the matter.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was ordered by Commissioner of Police (CID), Winston James to investigate a complaint made by Officer Noel that he was beaten and held against his will on February 26 by NDC members outside of their headquarters building on Lucas Street, St. George's.
The NDC is known to have recovered a tape-recorder from the plainclothes officer who was hiding on the inside of an abandoned building adjacent to their office and secretly taping the meeting.
A police spokesman told this newspaper that RGPF is still waiting on a formal document from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on the advise that was given on the beating of the police officer.
He said that DPP Nelson had only communicated his decision on the issue by "word-of-mouth" on the weekend to the police and that the lawmen were waiting for it in writing.
Nelson reportedly reviewed the case with his deputy, Dione Lawrence of Jamaica and concluded that no lawful case could be brought against the NDC members.
Within hours of reviewing the case file, the DPP left the country for holiday.
The Nelson ruling has apparently angered Legal Advisor to Cabinet, Hugh Wildman of Jamaica who has already stated publicly
that the Congress officials should have already been charged for the alleged offence committed against Officer Noel.
Wildman has reportedly vowed to do "something" in the matter in which the NNP has reportedly lost the public relations battle among NNP and NDC on the spying incident.
Speculation is rife that the controversial Jamaican attorney-at-law is spearheading a move for civil proceedings to be taken out by Officer Noel against the Congress members who allegedly beat him during the act of espionage.
Meanwhile, Commissioner James is said to be weighing all his options including seeking outside assistance from an independent investigator to look at claim made by Opposition Leader Tillman Thomas about the act of espionage committed by the police against his party.
A police official confided to GRENADA TODAY that the island's Chief Cop is seeking legal advise both in and outside Grenada on the best approach to take in handling the complaint made by Thomas.
The Opposition Leader has publicly accused the police force of having within its rank a political unit that operates on behalf of Prime Minister Mitchell and his NNP.
Fingers are pointing at Superintendent, Anthony De Gale, the head of special Branch who is from Cherry Hill, a small village in the St. George North-west constituency of Prime Minister Mitchell.
De Gale is known to have ordered police officers to form a human shield around the Grenadian leader last year to prevent a court bailiff from serving a court document on Dr. Mitchell in connection with a court matter in the United States.
The Opposition Leader has stated publicly that he has lost confidence in the police force and widespread changes are expected to be made to the Police High Command under a Congress government in power.
GRENADA TODAY has already urged a new government coming into office to seek British help in acquiring the services of a three-member team of high ranking police officers to take charge of RGPF in order to help rebuild the image of the force.
