Hicken ineligible for appointment as substantive police commissioner – Nigel Hughes

Last Updated on Friday, 11 October 2024, 19:09 by Writer

Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Nigel Hughes on Friday said a retired officer whose tenure has been extended or on contract could not be appointed substantive police commissioner, even as government maintained that there was no legal humbug to appointing Mr Clifton Hicken as the substantive police commissioner.

Mr Hughes, an experienced criminal and civil lawyer, said the status of commissioner of police cannot be granted to someone just before he or she retires. “I don’t believe you can appoint a Commissioner who was granted an extension or who is on contract and then deem them Commissioner. I certainly believe that’s legally flawed and I believe this ought to be challenged in court,” he told a news conference.

Mr Hicken, substantively Assistant Police Commissioner, was appointed to act as police commissioner in March, 2022 when he was 53 years old but he reached the mandatory retirement age of 55 in July, 2023. Since then, his tenure has been extended.

Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton has objected to Mr Hicken becoming acting and substantive police commissioner, and has instead called for an investigation of alleged corruption in that law enforcement agency.

President Irfaan Ali earlier this week said there were no constitutional or legal bariers to appointing Mr Hicken to the position of police commissioner. He said Mr Hicken’s “tenure was extended so there is no barrier.”