The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), in a press statement issued on Tuesday, said that due legal attention is being given to the case file into the rape allegations against Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall.
The DPP highlighted that all statements and evidence must be considered before legal advice is given to the Guyana Police Force.
“The DPP’s Office will continue to carry out its constitutional functions in an impartial manner,” the statement noted.
The case file was hand-delivered to the DPP’s Chambers last Thursday. The DPP is now tasked with reviewing the file and providing legal advice which will determine whether the politician should be charged with rape.
But the DPP’s statement noted that this Police file is “only one of thousands of Police files, which the DPP’s Office receives from all stations in all 10 administrative regions of Guyana for legal attention.”
It added that files for persons in custody are given priority. Dharamlall was arrested last week Monday and subsequently released on $1 million station bail.
The DPP’s office noted that members of several opposition political parties have mounted protests in front of its office. Many have been calling for Dharamlall’s resignation.
The DPP’s Office responded to the protests, stating: “The DPP’s Office will not be intimidated by these individuals who profess to want justice in a criminal matter even while a Police file is being given due legal attention.”
As such, the statement urged persons to desist from politicising an alleged criminal offence.
President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Tuesday said any decision about the potential dismissal of Dharamlall will only be made once the independent investigation into the rape allegations levelled against Dharamlall is completed.
The politician proceeded on administrative leave on June 18 in light of the allegations that he raped a 16-year-old schoolgirl in December 2022.
