By Warren Bertram
Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn is calling for patience from members of the public in relation to the prosecution of financial crimes.
She argues that even with confessions and witness reports, financial crimes are more difficult to successfully prosecute compared with other crimes.
The DPP, who quipped that the real process is not the same as shown on investigative television shows such as "CSI or Law and Order", said the prosecution of financial crimes is also hampered by the involvement of witnesses who are sometimes conspirators.
"They (the witness) knew what was happening in terms of the fraud, but whether because of...'professional incest' or because they lacked the cojones or because they were or a third party connected to them was getting something out of it, they had remained willfully blind," she explained.
"So that particular individual, you have to be able to discern that person, but don't let them know that you are unto them, because you may get at a spate of ‘I can't recall’," she added.
The DPP was speaking at the Financial Investigation Division's recent two-day conference on Widening the Use of the Proceeds of Crime Act through collaboration.
