Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied

In a significant development, three police officers accused of robbing two civilians have been acquitted of all charges due to extensive delays by State prosecutors. High Court Master Margaret Sookraj-Goswami made the ruling earlier this week, discharging officers Dion Ottley, Ryan Grandison, and Steve Williams following a legal application by Senior Counsel Keith Scotland. The officers were initially charged in 2016 for allegedly stealing cash and jewellery from two men while armed with their service weapons, facing four joint counts of misbehaviour in public office. Ottley additionally faced two separate counts of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Over the years, the sufficiency hearing for their case, brought under the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act (AJIPA), encountered numerous delays as prosecutors struggled with issues related to the indictments and securing crucial witnesses. Just before the recent hearing, State prosecutors notified the court via email that they were unprepared and unable to proceed. In response, Scotland argued for the officers’ discharge, and Master Sookraj-Goswami ruled that the prolonged delays were unjustifiable, finding the State’s explanations unacceptable. The officers were represented by attorneys Asha Watkins-Montserin and Sarah Carraz, marking a significant turn in a lengthy and complicated legal battle.