And while the Compol suggested Vidal made an ill advised move there - tonight, his wife - who has been separated from him for a year - Director of Public Prosecutions, Cheryl Lynn Vidal is letting her feelings be known.
Today she issued a very rare statement reacting to very harsh public criticism of her appearance as collateral damage in the whole Strike Team mess.
Her body guard - taken from Vidal's Strike Team - Cpl Delwin Casimiro has been charged for being part of the ring of corrupt cops that allegedly facilitated the landing of a narco plane a week ago.
She says that Cpl Casimiro was assigned as her security detail in 2019, but she knew him since 2012 when he was a member of the Gang Suppression Unit. She adds, interestingly, quote, "He continued to engage in operations with the Commander Operations Strike Team after he was assigned to me, until November 2020, when I requested that he refrain from participating in operations, due to covid-19 considerations. Nothing in my interaction with and observations of him over the years could have alerted me or served as a warning sign that he could have been engaged in any criminal activity." End quote.
Vidal adds, quote,"I am aware of the many comments posted on social media attempting to link me to the actions of my former security officer. This has deeply saddened me because I have dedicated almost my entire 23-year career to the criminal justice system, mostly as a Prosecutor…I have sought, at all times, to anchor my tenure with diligence, fairness and professionalism.
The current comments being made about me are thus very hurtful. They are scurrilous and utterly untrue. They are also potentially damaging to public confidence in the criminal justice system if left unanswered." End quote.
Vidal adds that her office will, quote, "not participate in the investigation or prosecution of this matter at any stage."
And to the officers form Vidal's team, she adds, "I hope that the gravity and impact of the actions of these officers is not lost on them - the terrible betrayal of the trust that was reposed in them; the shadows unfairly cast on the careers of others who believed in them and looked after their welfare; doubt in the criminal justice system; and the embarrassment that they have caused to their colleagues, the Department and to the country as a whole." End quote.
