The Past Directors

With the exception of the current Director, Paula Llewellyn, C.D., Q.C.; there have been five (5) past Directors of Public Prosecutions since Independence, namely:-

Mr. William H. Swaby, Q.C.   (1962 – 1965) (Deceased)

• In 1962, the year Jamaica gained independence from the British, Mr. William H. Swaby was appointed the independent state's first DPP. Swaby served in the post until 1965 before he was replaced by Huntley Munroe. His stint ended in 1968.
• He became a Judge of the Supreme Court of Jamaica.
• He died in 1988 at age 78.

Mr. Huntley Munroe, Q.C.     (1965 - 1968) (Deceased)

He was a forward line member of St George's College (1926 or 1927) Champion Manning Cup football team, reputedly one of the best in the history of the Manning Cup.

He was a Barrister-at-Law (Lincoln’s Inn). He was an Assistant Clerk of Courts in 1934, a Deputy Clerk of Courts in 1944, a Clerk of the Courts in 1951, a Crown Counsel in 1956, acted as Assistant Attorney General, and was a Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions from 1962 to 1964 before becoming Director of Public Prosecutions in 1965.

His recreation was football and reading. He has two (2) sons, one being a well-known academic and University Professor, Trevor Munroe and the other, Dr. Huntley Munroe Jr, a Periodontist.

He marshalled the evidence in the Commission of Enquiry into the Kendal train crash in which over 150 people perished, one of the worst disasters in Jamaica's history.

As a prosecutor, in 1959 and 1961, prior to Independence while he was in the Attorney General's Department, he successfully prosecuted a number of landmark cases. Two such were the first treason felony cases in a hundred years in Jamaica and two of very few in the Commonwealth up until that time R v Claudius Henry et al; R v Reynold Henry.

While DPP, his private papers included correspondence recording Prime Ministerial attempt at interference in the exercise of his prosecutorial discretion to bring charges against prominent politicians of the day and his forthright but respectful rejection of the attempt. He then retired in 1968. 

He again led the evidence presented before the Maffesanti (1969) and DaCosta Commissions of Enquiry into Corruption (1972). After retirement, he continued in private practice, successfully serving as defence counsel in a number of prominent cases.

Between 1981 and 1985, he was Jamaica's Judge on the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, contributing to a number of landmark advisory opinions of the Court.

His motto, was ‘salus populi est suprema lex,' roughly translated to mean ‘the public good is the highest law.'

He passed away on January 1, 1996 at age 84.

Mr. James Kerr, Q.C.   (1968 – 1977) (Deceased)

Mr. Kerr joined the legal service as an associate clerk of court in 1940. After he was called to the bar in Lincoln’s Inn, he served as clerk of court, resident magistrate and legal attaché to the Jamaican High Commission in London.

His legal prowess included 17 consecutive victories in the Privy Council. Chief Justice Anthony Smellie noted that Lord Diplock considered Mr. Justice Kerr to be the only true authority on the Jamaican Constitution.

He went on to become Director of Public Prosecutions. He then became Judge of the Court of Appeal. He also served on the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal from its inception in 1984 until his retirement in 1999.

He was an Associate Tutor in Criminal Practice and Procedure at the Norman Manley Law School from 1975 to 1998. He was eventually awarded the Order of Jamaica. He served as Ombudsman for Political Matters for 10 years and was Parliamentary Ombudsman from 1991 to 1998.

He served as Chairman of the National Committee on Political Tribalism in 1996/1997 while Political Ombudsman, and appointed the "broad-based National Committee to consider and recommend practical steps to reduce political tensions and violence." He also served on the court of Turks and Caicos.

He died in February 21, 2005 at age 83.

The Hon. Mr. Justice Ian Xavier Forte, OJ, CD, QC (1977 – 1988) (Retired)

In July 2007, Forte was mandated by then Minister of National Security Dr Peter Phillips, to review investigations into the controversial death of Pakistan cricket coach, Bob Woolmer, and present a report. He then became Judge of the Court of Appeal and ultimately President of the Court of Appeal. 

Currently retired and up to July, 2011 was sitting as a member of the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal.

Mr. Glen Andrade, Q.C.  (1988 – 1998) (Deceased)

He joined the Office of the DPP as an Assistant Crown Counsel and rose to the top in 1988. He died on Thursday, September 17, 2009 at age of 72.

He was described as a very strong and effective leader, unflinching and led from the front. Whilst a very good leader, he was also very humane, as he was very encouraging and supportive of young prosecutors, and always reminded Prosecutors that "as Crown Counsel, you are operating in the public interest".

After retiring as DPP, Andrade tutored at the Justice Training Institute and was a member of the Firearms Licensing Review Board. He was also an adviser to the Ministry of National Security. He is survived by his wife, Ruby, retired registrar of titles, and his daughter, Dr Sharon Andrade Bucknor.

He died on Thursday, September 17, 2009 at age of 72, and is survived by his wife, Ruby, retired Registrar of Titles, and his daughter, Dr. Sharon Andrade Bucknor. 

Mr. Kent S. Pantry, CD, Q.C.  (1998 – 2008) (Retired)

In November 2007, he marshaled evidence vigorously in the Coroner’s Inquest hearing of the controversial death of Pakistan cricket coach, Bob Woolmer. He was then appointed as Interim Dean to spearhead the development and implementation of the Faculty of Law, of the University of Technology in 2008. He was appointed as Dean of the Faculty of Law, of the University of Technology in 2009 to August 31, 2011. He is an Associate Professor and Director of the Legal Advice Centre, Faculty of Law University of Technology.