FIU dragging its feet in Coye Money Laundering case

Arthur Saldivar

The Financial Intelligence Unit was swift to bring charges against the Coye family that operated a MoneyGram agency on Central American Boulevard after over a million dollars in cash was found at their home. The money was believed to be the proceeds of money-laundering. The bust was made on December thirty-first 2008 and during 2009, the Coyes appeared in court numerous times in the preliminary inquiry. The family was finally committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court’s January session, but the FIU is now found to be moving slow. At an already delayed arraignment today, the Unit was still unprepared and had not filed an indictment to proceed to trial. The family, Melanie Coye, her father, Michael, mother Merlene, brother Jude and husband James Gerou as well as employees Athlee Matute all appeared in court today and were peeved to find out that they still have to wait on the FIU. Their attorney, Arthur Saldivar, spoke to News Five after the session.

Arthur Saldivar, Attorney for Coye Family

“The Coye family came to answer their charges or at least be arraigned in the Supreme Court but when they arrived in front of the judge, it was found that the FIU, who is the authority prosecuting this matter did not file an indictment. This matter was originally set for the January session, it is now four months since then, we’re in April now. It is somewhat disrespectful I believe to the court, the process and some extent the Coye family that they come and cannot get started in terms of trying to clear their names from this allegation that has been made.”

Delahnie Bain

“So what does this mean happens now?”

Arthur Saldivar

“Well, I believe what it means is that the FIU is put on notice that this kind of act cannot continue. All the material, all the statements that they seem to rely on is available, it’s been typed up and put before the Supreme Court. There is no earthly reason why they should not now proceed. I believe that not only does the Coye family deserve that this matter be put before the court, but because they made such a media spectacle from the onset, the people of Belize need to get closure on this matter also. We seek first and foremost to have this matter go before the court. And since the PI, which had a life of its own, was finally completed last December, we saw no reason why this matter could not be dealt with expeditiously in the courts here now. That is basically our course of action, to basically have this matter brought before the courts as soon as possible. We were hoping in January, we were certain it was going to be now but at this point it’s anybody’s guess and we hope the CJ would take a look at the matter and make some determination as to what will be done.”

Saldivar also stressed that the Director of Public Prosecutions, who has jurisdiction over criminal matters, should not allow the FIU to slack off.