The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is facing a mounting workload, including a significant influx of cases from the Commission of Inquiry (COI) Unit.
As of November 2023, the DPP reported receiving approximately 68 major matters from the COI Unit for review and potential prosecution, with 6 more coming from other agencies like Customs, Immigration and the FIA.
This adds to an already overwhelmed judicial system across both the Magistrates and High Courts. The DPP noted 180 matters awaiting hearings and 519 active cases in Magistrates Court. The High Court had 45 live indictable cases.
Alongside the COI referrals, over 425 complaints were filed in Magistrates Court by November 22nd, 2023.
The DPP’s Office reported that it had disposed of 665 Magistrates Court matters involving charges from 2019 to 2023, of which 278 matters were dismissed “because summons were not served on defendants”.
DPP requested increased staff and funding, including for two summer interns to gain experience. Further training has also been sought to build capacity.