DPP concerned Police officers are failing to properly caution suspects on their right to silence upon arrest

The Director of Public Prosecutions Christopher Pryde says it is of increasing concern that Police officers are failing to properly caution suspects on their right to silence upon arrest.

He says this basic right which is afforded to all suspects must be properly given and when it is not given properly, any statements made are likely to be ruled inadmissible by the court.

Pryde further says Police officers, like any other witnesses, must respect a court summon to appear and give evidence.

He adds Police officers who show a lack of respect for the court and its procedures by failing to attend not only let themselves down but let victims of crime down.

The DPP stresses there is no excuse for this behaviour.

Pryde says he asked the High Court to issue an arrest warrant to compel the attendance of a Police officer to appear before the court yesterday morning in a home invasion case from 2018 that resulted in serious injuries to the two male victims and 1 female victim who were attacked with a cane knife and pinch bar in their home.

Two other arrest warrants were sought for other witnesses that police had failed to produce in court.

The DPP said as a result of the failure of police officers to adequately caution the accused and as a result of the police officer’s failure to attend court, he had no option but to file a nolle prosequi and discontinue the matter.

In an unrelated matter, second discontinuation was filed in court this morning by the DPP for a street mugging of an elderly woman at the Suva Bus Stand in September after police lost critical evidence in the case and the Suva City Council deleted the CCTV footage.