By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe suggested yesterday that people have yet to be charged under last year’s highly-touted anti-gang legislation because of insufficient evidence, stressing that authorities want to ensure cases have a high likelihood of success before taking action.

Mr Munroe said officials are taking a cautious approach to enforcing the law, having learned from previous legislation that securing convictions requires careful preparation and substantial evidence.

The Davis administration introduced the Anti-Gang Bill 2024 last year in response to a surge in murders, many linked to gang retaliation.

Under the law, gang leaders and members can face up to 25 years in prison while, anyone who commits an offence as a gang leader or member, or intimidates someone into joining a gang, could be jailed for up to seven years.

Before the bill’s passage, Mr Munroe said the government grappled with how to prove someone is a gang member.

He said yesterday that proving gang involvement goes beyond establishing collaboration among people — it must be demonstrated that they are working together for a specific criminal purpose.

While withholding details, Mr Munroe revealed that police are actively gathering intelligence to support charges under the legislation.

“Once they are satisfied that they have that material, they can then brief me as the Minister,” he said. “The Act provides that I can move to have persons declared a gang. We will only do that when we are quite sure that all of the doors are closed for the persons to avoid that designation.”

Reflecting on his decades-long legal career, Mr Munroe noted that rushing to prosecute without securing a strong case can be counterproductive, as failed attempts could undermine public confidence in the law.

Asked whether someone could be charged under the legislation this year, Mr Munroe noted that gang-related crimes, such as murder and drug trafficking, are already being prosecuted.

However, he stressed that the new anti-gang law is designed to go beyond street-level offenders.

He said authorities are trying to target those working behind the scenes to keep these operations running.

“When you see them jumping out the cars with their guns, that’s the end product of it, but if you assist them in getting that car, if you assist in getting the money to do what they do, we want to get you because anyone who is involved in this process, we have to get them,” he said.