DPP discontinues another sexual assault charge against St Vincent PM

DPP discontinues another sexual assault charge against St Vincent PM

April 7, 2008
Caribbean Net News

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent: The St Vincent and the Grenadines Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Colin Williams, on Friday took over and discontinued another sexual assault charge against Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, filed on March 13 by lawyers acting on behalf of a Canadian national with Vincentian citizenship, who resides in Canada.

In a sworn statement, Margaret Parsons claims that sometime in 2004 she went to the office of the Prime Minister and was sexually assaulted. However, a well-placed source said she changed the date to 2003.

Kay Bacchus-Browne, one of the lawyers representing Parsons, said she is “appalled” by the DPP’s decision.

St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves

Gonsalves was to appear in court on Monday 14th April.

“I think it is somewhat disrespectful to the Court of Appeal what the DPP has done,” Bacchus-Browne said.

This was in reference to an appeal now before the Court of Appeal.

Bacchus Browne and three other lawyers representing a female police officer are appealing a decision by the DPP to take over and discontinue a sexual assault and rape charge brought against Gonsalves last February.

High Court Judge, Justice Gertel Thom, refused permission for the lawyers to seek a judicial review of the DPP’s decision, stating in her ruling there was no chance of a judicial review succeeding.

Bacchus-Browne could not state if an appeal will be filed in relation to the DPP’s latest action.

“Having seen the correspondence between our client and the DPP in this case, to my mind, I think he exercised bad faith,” Bacchus-Browne said. “It is just appalling.”

Gonsalves was in Trinidad for a CARICOM Heads meeting on crime in the region, when the DPP took his decision.

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