Audrey Spoke on BGYEA Settlement, Cited for Contempt of Court

In a most unusual case involving an attorney, Audrey Matura-Shepherd is being cited for contempt of court which is considered a serious offense that can result in imprisonment for any anyone found guilty of the charge. The matter came up this morning and was adjourned for early July. Matura-Shepherd did not offer comments after the adjournment and the specific details of the case are not known. But what we can report is that action is being taken against Matura Shepherd for speaking of a settlement reached between her client, BGYEA and the government. Matura’s comments were made in February when through mediation BGYEA settled with G.O.B.  That case stemmed from an order from the Lands Department preventing BGYEA from planting corn in the buffer zone.  Now, part of the settlement contained a confidentiality clause, which the government believes Matura has breached. Here is what she said at the time.

Audrey Matura-Shepherd

Audrey Matura-Shepherd, Attorney for BGYEA [February 26^th, 2015]

“Well, I can give the specifics because we’ve signed off on it. Basically, Government has asked that BGYEA acknowledge that Government is the owner of the buffer and we have no problem with that. So, from now as always the Government holds it in trust for the people, that’s why it is called crown land. They ask that they accept that and I don’t think that BGYEA ever had a problem with that. They had a problem that while you may be legally the owner, you gave us the equitable right to co-manage it as trustees and then you went back against that. So, we’ve agreed on that point. Government- what they have conceded is that is the reserves other than the buffer, the other reserve area which is about sixty acres, they would allow BGYEA to plant corn or anything they want on it. Remember their project was to plant corn and to be able to make money and develop their own community. Government has offered and we have accepted seeds and technical advice through the Ministry of Agriculture. They have also agreed that if there are members in the community who will agree to put all their plots together to create one big farming area, so they have agreed to give them letters of comfort and my clients don’t have a problem with that. Also, they have agreed that Government will remove effective this order coming into place, all squatters from the buffer.”

As far as we know, two journalists were the last to be cited for contempt about two decades ago.