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RUDI GETS PAYOUT: Big settlement for former top police deputy

Former Governor Stuart Jack with ex-Police Commissioner Stuart Kernohan

Former Deputy Commissioner of Police Rudolph Dixon has received a final payout as high as $2 million to retire quietly from the Royal Cayman Islands Police, bringing to a close a three-year saga.

The payment, made through counsel Thorp & Alberga, came “about five or six weeks ago,” according to a spokesman in the Office of the Governor, Duncan Taylor.

Mr Taylor declined to comment further, however, saying only “as part of the settlement with Mr Dixon, there was a non-disclosure/confidentiality agreement attached to it. Consequently, I’m unable to share any details, nor would Mr Dixon himself or his lawyers.”

While acknowledging the settlement, Mr Dixon would neither elaborate nor describe the amount he received, variously said to be between $300,000 and $2 million.

He told iNews, “I don’t want to comment until I speak to my attorneys.”

Counsel Michael Alberga, who has represented Mr Dixon since his May 2008 arrest for gambling and obstruction of justice, also declined to comment: “We cannot discuss any client matters,” he said.

Still outstanding is the lawsuit by former RCIPS inspector Burmon Scott, retired 28-year veteran of the force, arrested simultaneously with Mr Dixon and jailed for two days after being linked to the second of Mr Dixon’s charges, accused of freeing a driver suspected of DUI.

Mr Alberga’s October 2009 courtroom vindication of Mr Dixon also cleared Mr Scott who subsequently filed suit for wrongful treatment, but continues to wait, frustrated, by the delay and Mr Dixon’s settlement, he told iNews yesterday.

“We are still in the process of pursuing the lawsuit,” he said. “The lawyers are still with the Attorney-General to see if we can settle it without going to court.” He declined to name the figure he sought.

Mr Scott’s lawyer, Campbells’ Senior Partner Shaun McCann, also declined to comment, saying “we are not in any position to discuss this,” hinting, however, at delays by government: “It is unknown as to the progress of Mr Burmon’s action.”

The government has twice offered Mr Scott a settlement, first of $7,000, followed by $17,000, both of which were rejected as derisory.

Martin Bridger, head of Operation Tempura, who suspended Rudi Dixon

Mr Dixon was suspended in March 2008 as part of Operation Tempura, the now-discredited two-year probe of official corruption by Metropolitan Police and Senior Investigating Officer Martin Bridger.

The Deputy Commissioner was joined by Commissioner Stuart Kernohan, ultimately cleared of wrongdoing, but sacked for disregarding orders by former Governor Stuart Jack. Mr Kernohan subsequently filed a $2 million lawsuit for misfeasance and breach of contract, leading to a preliminary 26 May hearing this year, with a second hearing scheduled for December.

Also suspended was Kernohan’s colleague, Chief Inspector John Jones, subsequently exculpated and reinstated.

For reasons that remain murky, however, the RCIPS never reinstated Mr Dixon, who collected almost $360,000 in salary and benefits throughout his three-year suspension.

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