It’s not right! Bishop Cline slams DPP
Bishop John Cline Bishop John Cline has accused the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) of wasting public funds on failed cases and appeals, calling for an end to what he described...
Bishop John Cline Bishop John Cline has accused the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) of wasting public funds on failed cases and appeals, calling for an end to what he described as “witch hunt” prosecutions that keep people off the job for years. Cline said several current and former public servants remain sidelined on full or half pay while cases drag on. “All of these people are either on full pay or half pay… these people want to work,” he said.
He added, “It’s not right… sometimes some of these things just seem like they are a witch hunt against our own people, and they need to stop,” he urged. He pointed to matters involving former Customs Commissioner Wade Smith and others, and cited long delays. “Roberto Harrigan’s case has been going on for 14 years,” he said.
He estimated payouts after recent defeats could be large: “The estimated costs that government has to pay these people will probably exceed a million dollars,” he argued. Cline also highlighted the personal strain on defendants. “These people can’t even go to the bank and get a loan,” he explained. “Some of them, their passports have been confiscated… their personal liberties are being compromised,” he added.
His comments follow years of courtroom reversals that have drawn scrutiny of the DPP’s litigation choices. In March 2022, the DPP filed an appeal after the High Court upheld a no-case submission for interdicted police officers Pamphill Prevost and Simon Power in a conspiracy to steal trial.
In December 2022, the DPP appealed a magistrate’s dismissal of a related perjury case against a police witness. And in April 2022, three high-profile matters—including the Prevost and Power retrial—were thrown out for lack of evidence, with the Crown indicating it would appeal. Cline referenced a report on the outcome of one appeal. “It says the DPP appeal against no case decision for Prevost and Power was dismissed,” he stated.
The DPP’s office has said it is entitled to challenge rulings under the Criminal Procedure Ordinance, a position that has been reported in previous cases. The DPP has appeared in several high-profile matters, including the 2023 court appearance of former Education Minister Myron Walwyn on charges of breach of trust—another case that was dismissed and later appealed.
Cline said acquitted people should be allowed to move on. “You're innocent until proven guilty, and when the court finds you not guilty, especially as a private citizen, then let the people go live their lives,” he urged.
Primary source: BVI News