2 contractors appear in court for immigration offenses

Oscar Rene Chan

Two contractors, a Belizean and a Salvadoran with permanent residency in Belize, were before the court on separate charges for employing persons not in possession of a valid temporary working permit. One pleaded not guilty, is challenging the Immigration Department and will be tried on the charge. The other, a Salvadoran national wasted no time and pleaded guilty to the offense.  The local contractor is Oscar Rene Chan, a resident of Succotz Village, Cayo District and the Salvadoran national is Samuel Elias Zelada Cosmi, who has been living in Belize since 1993 and holds permanent residency.  

Samuel Elias Zelada Cosmi

Both appeared this morning before Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser.  Allegations are that on Monday Chan employed Jose Antonio Wilpes Ortiz who did not have a valid employment permit while Zelada Cosmi is accused of employing Edwin Alexander Ponce Erazo, at a contraction site located at the Belize Biltmore Plaza. Because he pleaded guilty, Zelada Cosmi was fined one thousand dollars to be paid by the end of April or spend six months in prison. Chan, however, was offered bail of one thousand dollars and is due back in court on May eighth, 2014. Up to this afternoon, he had not been able to meet bail.