AG Moves To Complete De Jongh/DOJ Deal; Blames Delay On Absence Of Lead Prosecutor
- Ernice Gilbert
- January 26, 2016
ST. THOMAS -- The Department of Justice obeyed a court order and filed a motion in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands today seeking the dismissal with prejudice of all charges that had been brought against former Governor John P. de Jongh. Attorney General Claude Walker, in a press conference this morning here, said the delay in filing the motion -- even after Mr. de Jongh had paid the required $380,000 that the deal called for -- was due to the DOJ's Lead Prosecutor, Attorney Quincy McRae, being off island. At the press conference, Mr. Walker said the deal was negotiated in an effort to bring closure to the matter. Mr. de Jongh and former Virgin Islands Director of Finance Julito Francis were charged with two counts of embezzlement of public monies, and neglecting to pay over public monies in violation of Virgin Islands criminal code in September, 2015. Along with the $380,000, Mr. de Jongh returned to the Government of the Virgin Islands an electronic security system curr...
