The Director of Public Prosecutions returned to work Tuesday as there is still very little being said within the country about the ongoing Integrity Commission investigation which had led to the replacement of the Director of Public Prosecutions, John Masters; though temporarily.
There had been constant complaints to media about Masters who took on the job, as only the country’s second public prosecutor in March 2015 with 27 years experience in his home of Australia and fellow British overseas territory, the Cayman Islands.
The DPP, it is reported, was believed to be using a discretionary fund to finance specialists to the TCI; specialists some media reports allege are his friends and who others say are unnecessary. Still Masters, who is being investigated by the Integrity Commission due to these complaints is vocal and adamant that he will be vindicated and that he can demonstrate to Director, Eugene Otuyone that decisions he has made were essential to fulfilling his job, effectively.
The Governor, Peter Beckingham was forced to swear in three people to act in his stead: Leonard Franklyn, the principal Crown Counsel; Angela Brooks, the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions and Latisha Williams, Senior Prosecutor.
Masters has had six weeks on voluntary leave since taking on the job.
While staff in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is forbidden to comment on the case, and the Integrity Commission has declined comment to media, John Masters has issued a press release in defense of himself.
Masters had been on leave; his absence was not categorized as a suspension as was the case when the Integrity Commission was investigating, Turks and Caicos Islander Athenee Harvey – who was later cleared of charges and returned to her post as Permanent Secretary of Finance.
