Acting DPP says Kartel and co-accused should not escape justice

The prosecution has urged the Court of Appeal not to allow Vybz Kartel and his three co-accused to "escape" justice on a "technical blunder".

"It is [in] the interest of the public in Jamaica that those persons who are guilty of serious crimes should be brought to justice and should not escape it merely because of some technical blunder," argued Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Claudette Thompson.

She said there are remedies to address constitutional breaches regarding delays in the case.

"The courts have been and should loathe to dismiss a matter due to pre-trial publicity as the criminal justice system has within it sufficient safeguards to mitigate against the risk of prejudice," the prosecutor said.

Thompson said there are "sufficient safeguards" to ensure that the men "get a fair hearing by an independent and impartial jury".

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