Has The Attorney General Taken Leave Of His Senses?
On Friday 29 November 2019, the Attorney General Carl Bethel issued the following statement in response to a public complaint by Damien Gomez Q C about the Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson and the Director of Public Prosecutions Garvin Gaskin. Mr. Bethel threatens Mr. Gomez with prosecution for Obstructing Justice because Mr. Gomez made the case against the Commissioner of Police who appeared to be complicit in tampering with the witness statement in the Shane Gibson trial and with the Director of Public Prosecutions who seemed to have signed off on it. Mr. Gomez said that complaints ought to be made to the respective disciplinary bodies about them. Mr. Bethel saw that as a threat and came back with a threat of his own. This is an example of these people who run the FNM who have no idea of how self-absorbed they are full of self-importance. You know some things you just let go and shut up. But of course Mr. Bethel is the smartest lawyer in the room.
The AG’s statement:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
INTEMPERATE AND DANGEROUS REMARKS BY DAMIAN GOMEZ
Remarks attributed to Attorney Damian Gomez, QC, in a major daily newspaper this morning, in reference to the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Commissioner of Police are to de deplored.
This appears to be an unseemly public attempt to intimidate and besmirch law enforcement officials and Crown Prosecutors, while also threatening their continued employment.
If Mr. Gomez and his client have legal issues with anything done by the Prosecution (or police investigators), there are established legal remedies which he can pursue on behalf of his client – none of which involve loose and apparently malicious threats against the employment or employability of any prosecutor of public official engaged in a legal process before our Courts.
Mr. Gomez should be reminded that the Law, namely the Justice Protection (Amendment) Act 2014, specifically prohibits and criminalizes any form of Obstruction of Justice (which includes attempts) and also specifically prohibits threats aimed against the (continued) employment of any Law Enforcement Official or Prosecutor engaged in a criminal trial.
A civilized society cannot long survive if the administration of justice, and the administrators of the system of justice, can be subjected to such apparent threats aimed at their continued employment as Members of the Bar or as Law Enforcement Officers.
Carl W. Bethel, QC
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs
Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs
Commonwealth of The Bahamas
29th November 2019