Francis (left) and Prudent
(SNO) — National Security Minister Hermangild Francis has warned Lucian Peoples Movement (LPM) Leader Therold Prudent to stay clear of things he knows nothing about.
Prudent had accused Francis of prejudicing the IMPACS investigation into the now-infamous 2010/2011 Operation Restore Confidence (ORC) in which members of the police force were accused of extrajudicial killings.
He based his accusation on the fact that Francis had said the US wants nothing short of prosecutions in the matter.
But speaking to reporters earlier this week, Francis made it sound as if Prudent does not know what prosecution means.
“I just want to inform him that prosecution does not mean a conviction or an acquittal,” Francis stated.
He added that there are a number of results from a prosecution and, “I am not prejudicing anything.”
Francis stated that Prudent should talk about things he is familiar with “and don’t get involved in other things”.
The minister also took a swing at the media in the controversial matter.
“Nobody has ever looked at the other things that I have said,” he remarked. “And again that is where the press comes in. You have interviews and you all choose the little snippets that you all want to sensationalize and then you do that. The full story is never told. I said I was very annoyed with the Americans, always annoyed, and every opportunity I got when I went out to represent Saint Lucia, I made my voice heard.”
Former prime minister Dr. Kenny Anthony in 2013 commissioned an investigation by the Caribbean Community IMPACS agency into the ORC matter.
Eleven criminal suspects were allegedly killed by the police during the operation aimed at quelling a crime wave.
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