Belize City Wife Battling Husband’s Intention to Sell Property
Tonight we bring you the story of Anita Beatrice Bilal. The fifty-seven-year-old Belize City resident survived a house fire and stage-two cervical cancer and she is battling her husband’s plan to sell the property that they have been living on for more than two decades. Bilal is legally married but separated from her spouse. She is claiming marital rights over the property and managed to put a caution on the land in 2017. But her concerns are growing since moves are being made once again to sell the property from under her feet. Hipolito Novelo has the story.
Hipolito Novelo, Reporting
Fifty-seven-year-old Belize City resident Anita Bilal has been living on this particular piece of land for more than twenty five years. The land is shared between Bilal and her husband. They are legally married but have been separated for the past five years. Bilal, a cancer survivor, has been battling her husband’s desire to sell the land since 2017 when the neighbour wrote a cheque for twenty thousand dollars.
Anita Bilal
Anita Bilal, Belize City Resident
“I refused the cheque. That cheque stayed in 2017. The cheque was in the attorney’s office draw. I have to reactivate the cheque for 2018. I said no, no, no! When you got cancer, Mister, you can’t think correct. People have to guide you because you have anxiety, stress, all kind of things.”
Hipolito Novelo
“And you stress increased because your husband’s wants to sell the land?”
Anita Bilal
“He wants to sell the land.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Why don’t you want him to sell the land?”
Anita Bilal
“I said, no. I said supposed I wasn’t wife.”
And this wife is making sure that her spouse does not sell the property. The husband has title for the land but in November sixteenth, 2017, Bilal successfully managed to put a caution on the land in question. So did the would-be buyer six days later. According to Bilal, the caution remains active.
Anita Bilal
“Mister, Belize society change, plenty neighbourhood in the country have gunplay. I don’t want anyone to shoot me. I don’t want to walk and they shoot me because plenty people cross fire and they get shot and they die, some of them crippled.”
Hipolito Novelo
“What if I tell you that because he has title to this land that he has the right to sell it if he wants?”
Anita Bilal
“No. No. No. I am wife. When it was only mangroves here, I sacrificed. There was mangroves, mud. I put in so. If you cannot sacrifice for a person you should not enjoy the sweetness. And I sacrificed as a wife.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Do you know if the caution still stands?”
Anita Bilal
“Still stands. Because he came to me this morning, knocked on the door, want to get on his knees. I said no, knees are for God. You beg God for forgiveness and do the right thing.”
Hipolito Novelo
“So he cancelled it?”
Anita Bilal
“No. he said I am to take off the caution. I said no. Take off the caution make he sell the land? No. No. No. I will stand firm with my God.”
Hipolito Novelo
“You two can share the money.”
Anita Bilal
“I don’t want any money. Evil money? What does the bible said? Money is the root of all evil. I don’t want that money. I want to live humble with my God.”
And now Bilal says that moves are being made to sell land right under her nose.
Hipolito Novelo
“But your fear now is that he might sell it.”
Anita Bilal
“No, man. No. no. no. I don’t own land. I don’t own my life.”
Hipolito Novelo
“What is your attorney saying?”
Anita Bilal
“My attorney said to leave him alone because the caution is still there. My daughter wants to build a house here. This is a marital property.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Hipolito Novelo.
