By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS 

Tribune Staff Reporter 

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) successfully concluded 47 percent of its criminal matters between July 2024 and June 2025 through either convictions or plea agreements, according to Attorney General Ryan Pinder’s 2025/2026 Budget contribution.

Of the 163 matters disposed of during the period, 12 resulted in convictions, and 66 were resolved through plea deals. Another 30 cases ended in acquittals, and 55 were withdrawn due to either insufficient evidence or complainant reluctance to proceed.

Mr Pinder described plea agreements as one of the most effective tools in the department’s arsenal, noting they not only reduce pressure on the courts but also spare victims the emotional toll of a trial. The 66 concluded during the year mark a continuation of the department’s long-standing strategy to expedite justice through negotiated resolutions.

While not reaching the department’s 2017 peak of 96 plea agreements, the current figures remain consistent with a broader prosecutorial trend seen over the past decade. In prior years, the ODPP recorded 41 plea deals in 2016, 72 in 2018, 62 in 2019, 13 in 2020, and 44 in 2023.

In the same timeframe, the ODPP prepared 277 voluntary bills of indictment and conducted 303 Supreme Court arraignments, reflecting the growing scale of its operations.

Mr Pinder also addressed reforms to bail procedures, noting a coordinated push since late 2023 to strengthen opposition to bail and appeal questionable grants. He said the ODPP has seen success in revoking bail,

enforcing forfeitures from sureties, and prosecuting breaches of bail conditions.

The department also saw strong results at the appellate level, winning 95 of 113 Court of Appeal rulings, a success rate of 84 percent.

Internally, the ODPP has expanded significantly, growing from fewer than 20 prosecutors when he assumed office to 45 today. He said this expansion has enabled greater specialisation, with prosecutors receiving training in financial crime, human trafficking, cybercrime, and the handling of forensic evidence.