The Ministry of Justice says the government will be appealing the court ruling against the extension of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Paula Llewellyn’s tenure in office.

Jamaica’s Constitutional Court ruled on Friday that the extension is unlawful.

WATCH: Court rules second extension of DPP’s tenure unconstitutional

In a statement, the justice ministry said: “The Government of Jamaica does not agree with this part of the ruling of the Constitutional Court and will instruct its attorneys to ask for a stay of execution and immediately appeal the ruling.”

The ministry also said the government took note that the court at the same time ruled that the Act extending the retirement age of the DPP from age 60 to 65 is constitutional.

Government last year controversially amended the constitution to increase the age at which the DPP should proceed on retirement from 60 to 65.
The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) in a lawsuit challenged the extension of Llewellyn’s tenure, which had followed a previous three-year extension in 2020 when she turned 60.