KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) today admitted that it blundered in objecting to pursue criminal charges against former Mayor of Lucea and People’s National Party (PNP) Councillor Shernette Haughton in April.

DPP Paula Lewellyn admitted in a radio interview Thursday morning that, originally, she did not agree with the recommendation of the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) that criminal charges should be pursued against the councillor on the basis of the evidence produced by the OCG.

However, she said yesterday that after a follow-up letter from Contractor General Dirk Harrison, she decided to take a second look at his objections to her decision.

Lewellyn said this morning that she has not recommended that Haughton should be arraigned on charges of breaching the public procurement regulations. However, she admitted that there is a prima facie case against Haughton, based on the evidence produced by the OCG. She said it is now up to the police to carry forward the investigations.

“I have indicated that, based on the report, there is a prima facie case in respect of a breach of the regulations,” she told Radio Jamaica’s “Hotline” talk show.

“The police now have to go and collect statements,” Lewellyn added, noting that the police will have to look at all instances in which Haughton’s family benefited from the contracts she awarded as mayor.

She admitted that it was not the first time that she had to reverse her decision. She also noted that the penalty for the alleged crimes committed by Haughton is a fine of $1,000 or three months’ imprisonment.

The Office of the Contractor General (OCG), after an extensive investigation, reported in March that Haughton awarded $3.7 in contracts to 11 of her family members during her tenure as mayor. She was asked to resign after the issue became public.

Balford Henry