FRIDAY,
DECEMBER 29, 2017
VOLUME 111, No.52
www.thevincentian.com
NEW POLICE LEADERSHIP FOR THE NEW YEAR
Renold Hadaway assumed the post of Commissioner of Police in an acting capacity on August 1, 2016.
Colin John served as Deputy DPP until being reassigned to the SVG Police Force as Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police.
Stories by HAYDN HUGGINS
Current Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Colin John. Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Dr. Ralph Gonsalves confirmed this on
ACTING COMMISSIONER of Police Renold Hadaway will proceed on pre-retirement leave next Tuesday, January 2. He will be succeeded by
Wednesday when contacted by THE VINCENTIAN. According to him, the chain of command in the Police Force will be followed, and the next person in that chair is the current Deputy Commissioner. When contacted on Wednesday, John declined to comment, saying that he had not received any official word on the matter. John, a former student of the Gomea Methodist and St. Martin’s Secondary School, joined the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) in 1988. He worked ‘Beat and Patrol’, Honour Guard, Immigration, Training School as an instructor, several outstations and Criminal Investigation Department (CID). He began studies leading to a law degree in 2006, and completed it in 2009, and proceeded to do his Bar Vocational Course, 20092010. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales, July 22, 2010, and the Eastern Caribbean Bar, October 2010. John took up duties at the Office of the Director of Public Continued on Page 3..
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Prosecutor, ‘Paper Committal, the way to go’ IF SENIOR PROSECUTOR ADOLPHUS DELPLECHE has his way, all Preliminary Inquiries (PIs) will be done by way of Paper Committal proceedings. Speaking with THE VINCENTIAN on Wednesday, Delpleche, who heads the Summary Senior Prosecutor Division in the Office of the Adolphus Delpleche Director or Public has advanced a Prosecutions (DPP), means by which stressing that there is judicial time (time already Paper Committal spent in court) can Legislation, expressed the be curtailed with no view that, “It is the way to discrimination go for 2018, and beyond.” against any party According to the involved. Prosecutor, “It will cut down on a lot of Judicial time, and will help to expedite matters.” Delpleche explained that in Paper Committal proceedings, the statements taken from witnesses by the investigating officers are examined by the inquiring Magistrate, the Prosecutor, and the Defence, to see if on paper, a prima facie case is made out, i.e. to determine whether there is sufficient evidence for the accused to stand trial in the High Court. The Senior Prosecutor pointed out that the process could take as little as five minutes, as well as a few hours, depending on the number of witnesses, but it certainly would not take the time, sometimes several days, that Preliminary Inquiries by way of oral evidence take. He noted that a number of cases have already been sent to the High Court for trial, by way of Paper Committal, including that of Union Island residents Benjamin Harvey and Vincent Dembar who were convicted on December 15 for possession of 20 pounds of cocaine with intent to supply, and possession of the drug for the purpose of drug trafficking. Delpleche further explained that in Preliminary Inquiries in which oral evidence is given from the box, that evidence is given at the Magisterial level, and again at the High Court, if a prima facie case is made out. “The is a lot of Judicial time being taken up,” he emphasized.