Christopher Pryde, the suspended Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), has voiced his frustration regarding the delay of the tribunal hearing for his case. In a media statement last month, Acting Chief Justice Jalesi Temo, who also chairs the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), indicated that Pryde had been notified of the hearing’s intended schedule.
Originally set to take place from next Monday until August 30, the hearing has now been postponed. Pryde confirmed yesterday that he had been informed of the change. “I have been advised that the proposed tribunal hearing dates of 19 to 31 August 2024 have been vacated,” he stated.
He expressed disappointment that the tribunal, composed of three judges, has not provided him the necessary disclosures to fully grasp the charges against him regarding his superannuation. Pryde was suspended as DPP last April, an action he characterized as stemming from being seen conversing with the former Attorney General at an official event. A year later, the JSC introduced an additional charge claiming he had been overpaid superannuation, which he refutes.
“I am dismayed that I have still not received the required disclosures, and the tribunal has yet to set a hearing date, while my salary remains suspended five weeks after the Prime Minister indicated it should continue to be paid,” Pryde lamented. “This matter is approaching its 17th month without resolution, and the JSC refuses to address the issue of my salary’s unilateral suspension.” The news outlet has contacted the JSC for further comment and is awaiting a reply.