Africa-Press – Cape verde. The Minister of Justice denied “any interference” in the activities of the Judiciary Police (PJ), a justified reason for the dismissal of the national director, stating that the focus now is to work so that there is no “deterioration of the image” of the PJ.
According to news published by the online newspaper Santiago Magazine, the national director of the Judiciary Police resigned from her position on Monday, 20th, a few days after completing a year in office, being the basis of Ivanilda Mascarenhas Varela’s decision, “incompatibilities with the Minister of Justice Joana Rosa”. Subsequently, the deputy national director, Heidmilson Frederico, also asked for his dismissal.
The same source reported that Joana Rosa was “interfering too much” in the PJ’s activities, shortening Ivanilda Varela’s range of action, to the point of “giving advice even in investigations”.
Asked by journalists to react to this matter, after presiding over the opening of training on the performance of Forensic Medicine in Cape Verde, with an emphasis on crimes against children and adolescents and the impact of communication on society, Joana Rosa denied any interference in PJ matters. .
“I think you heard about this issue in the media. I am focused on working to ensure that the image of the Judiciary Police does not deteriorate”, he replied, adding that the PJ is a “very important, sensitive” entity that deserves “the respect of all Cape Verdeans”.
He highlighted the “great work” that the coordinators, chief inspectors, inspectors and all PJ staff have been carrying out in order to contribute to better investigation.
Regarding the reasons behind this dismissal and the alleged interference in the PJ’s activities, he referred the question to the person in question, suggesting that perhaps he or she will be in better conditions, having also warned that the PJ is not a court, but a protected entity by the Ministry of Justice.
“There cannot be any interference from an investigative point of view, from the minister, because neither the minister carries out the investigation nor the national director of the Judiciary Police carries out the investigation. Everyone will know about the investigation at the Judiciary Police, it is carried out by inspectors and their respective coordinators, under the coordination of the Public Ministry itself, which is responsible for the criminal action”, she argued.
This means, according to Joana Rosa, that the PJ, in order to carry out the investigation, needs to delegate generic or specific powers from the Public Ministry to carry out its investigations, so that, she argued, the minister has no way of interfering and has no way be calling the inspector to give orders.
“Because the supervising minister defines criminal policy, but does not investigate cases or cases, I would say, pending or cases that arise”, he continued, ensuring that this is not the role of the Minister of Justice, but rather, that the minister takes measures to ensure the correct functioning of an institution.
As he asserted, the guardianship must be concerned with the functioning of a supervised institution and must take measures so that the institution can function and can, above all, continue to maintain the level required of it from the point of view of its responsibilities.
Meanwhile, he assured that the Ministry of Justice is already working within the legal framework, to “competently appoint” a department that has the “required profile” to “better perform its functions”.
For More News And Analysis About Cape verde Follow Africa-Press
