Jamaican attorney and prosecutor, Sophia Thomas has resigned from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) office in Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI).

Thomas’ resignation came after the disciplinary committee of the General Legal Council (GLC) found her guilty of professional misconduct last month following a complaint made by a man who was freed of fraud charges.

The man alleged that Thomas used false evidence and/or participated in the creation of evidence that she knew to be false during his fraud case in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court in November 2017.

Thomas was then employed as a prosecutor by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) headed by Paula Llewellyn, who intervened in the fraud trial when the statement being used by the prosecutor was brought to the attention of the court as not being original.

The man was subsequently freed after Llewellyn indicated that the Crown would no longer proceed with the case against the man, who, in turn, filed a complaint with the GLC.

Media reports in TCI said that the TCI’s DPP, Eugene Otuonye confirmed in a statement that Thomas tendered her resignation from the TCI Public Service as a senior public prosecutor a day after she was placed on administrative leave on August 3.

The resignation was accepted by Deputy Governor Anya Williams, who is also head of the Civil Service.

Thomas’ last day in office was Friday, August 12.

Regarding Thomas’ legal issues in Jamaica, the DPP said although the she “has a right of appeal against the decision” by the GLC, her conviction has “reputational implications on the ODPP, the TCI Public Service and the TCI Bar Association, all of which Thomas was a member.”

Against that backdrop, Otuonye said Thomas could not be allowed to continue her functions as a prosecutor in the island.

Thomas is to be given a date to be heard in mitigation before a sanction is imposed upon her by the GLC in Jamaica.