00:00The House of Representatives approved the Police Service Commission's recommendation of Junior Benjamin's acting appointment as Police Commissioner on February 2nd of this year, following the Commission's decision to place Police Commissioner Erla Haywood-Christopher on suspension.
00:15In a statement on Sunday, the Police Service said acting Police Commissioner Benjamin welcomes the DPP's clear and unequivocal decision that no criminal charges will be pursued against the Police Commissioner in relation to the issuance of a firearm import permit for two high-powered rifles and accessories intended for operational and training use by the Strategic Services Agency, the SSA.
00:41In a statement on Saturday evening, the DPP, Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gasford, announced in a media statement that he had been advised that the investigation by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, the TTPS, into that matter commenced in the latter half of last year and had been triggered by a request for such an investigation by a former director of the SSA.
01:04Police Commissioner Erla Haywood-Christopher was placed under arrest on January 31st by a team of officers led by Deputy Police Commissioner Suzette Martin in relation to the importation of the two firearms for the SSA.
01:17However, two days later, Police Commissioner Erla Haywood-Christopher was released without charge.
01:22In a statement on Saturday, DPP Gasford said that the TTPS ably presented to him a substantial file containing evidence, and in light of serious questions which that evidence raised concerning the Police Commissioner's performance of her due diligence functions,
01:38The DPP is, quote, of the view that while this coupled with her granting of the firearm import permit was sufficient to lead to her arrest as a suspect, the evidence presented does not reach the required threshold so as to lead to a criminal charge, end quote.
01:56The DPP further said, it is, quote, of the view that there is no realistic prospect of a conviction for the offense of misbehavior in public office or any offense, and accordingly, it would be legally wrong to proceed further, end quote.
02:20The Police Service said, quote, the Director of Public Prosecutions applied the full code test, which evaluates the evidential and public interest stages, and concluded there was no realistic prospect of conviction for any offense.
02:34Additionally, no improper motives or unlawful considerations were found in the Commissioner's actions. As a result, the matter will not proceed further, end quote.
02:44It now remains to be seen whether the Police Service Commission will lift the suspension and reinstate Police Commissioner Hayward Christopher to duty.
02:52The Express newspaper reported on Sunday that Police Commissioner Hayward Christopher's lead attorney, Senior Counsel Pamela Elder, said, quote,
03:00It is up to the Commission to decide if she has to return to duty, but her term comes to an end on May 15th, I believe, so you would wonder what is the usefulness of it, end quote.
03:10The Express reporter reported that Senior Counsel Elder pointed out that a high court justice is also expected to deliver his ruling on Monday in the constitutional claim brought by Police Commissioner Hayward Christopher against the Police Service Commission for placing her on suspension.
03:27Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
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