Former prime minister charged with Theft in Belmopan …
Ending months of speculation of his arrest, this morning former prime minister Said Musa was brought before the courts to face charges of Theft in relation to ten million U.S. dollars gifted by the government of Venezuela late last year when Musa was head of government. When Musa returned to the nation’s capital today, his successor, the current Prime Minister, was nowhere in sight. Musa handed himself in to Belmopan police, was first processed at the station and then taken to the Magistrates’ Court under heavy protection and with a crowd of supporters on the sidelines. He left the court after meeting bail of a whopping hundred thousand dollars. News Five’s Marion Ali was in Belmopan this morning for the historic event.
Marion Ali, Reporting
The Belmopan Police Station had so many police officers barricading its entrance this morning that if you didn’t know better, you’d think the President of a first world country was on an official visit. But such was not the case. Today was the first time in Belize’s history that a former Prime Minister was criminally charged. In this instance, former Prime Minister, Said Musa is facing a single charge of Theft. And so when the Police were finished with him at the police station and handed him his charge sheet, Musa was escorted under heavy police guard to the Magistrates’ Court.
A group of about a hundred staunch P.U.P. supporters who had travelled mainly from Belize City and Corozal Town, were already gathered outside. And they made their presence known with placards and cheers as Musa arrived at the courthouse.
But the lower flat of the courthouse where the case was supposed to be heard did not have enough space to accommodate the eight-member legal team, P.U.P stalwarts, and the many reporters who were there to cover the event.
So Musa was then escorted to the upper flat where he flashed a wave to his supporters just before walking inside to face his charge.
Magistrate Albert Hoare read him a single charge of Theft, which is in connection with ten million U.S. dollars in December of 2007 gifted to Belize by the government of Venezuela and earmarked for housing projects. The funds were directed to the Belize Bank as a loan payment for the now defunct Universal Health Services.
Musa’s heavy weight legal team, led by his law partner Senior Counsel Edwin Flowers, also includes political colleagues, Francis Fonseca, Anthony Sylvestre Junior, and son Karim Musa, former Minister in the past Musa Administration, Lisa Shoman, Kevin Flowers and Arthur Saldivar. Because the matter is indictable, no plea was taken from Musa and Magistrate Hoare granted him bail of a hundred thousand dollars and adjourned the case until January ninth, 2009.
Upon exiting the courthouse, Musa repeated that he was innocent and lashed out at the government of the day.
Said Musa, Charged with Theft
“I am innocent of this charge of this charge and of any charges that they threaten to bring against me. I acted in good faith always when I secured the grants from Venezuela fort he benefit of the Belizean people. what we have here happening is this government, this regime is trying to harass me, trying to shame me, but in fact they are shaming themselves because they are dragging our country, Belize, down to the level of a failed state where a rogue totalitarian regime is subverting the justice system, controlling the justice system, and using it and instructing people to use it to persecute and to jail their political opponents.”
Anthony Sylvestre Junior, Attorney, Musa’s legal team
“The information of the imminent charge did appear on the front page of the government’s newspaper so that I think speaks volumes and I will leave it at that.”
Lisa Shoman, Attorney, Musa’s Legal Team
“Which would be today even before, I might add, it was read out to the person who was being charged so you ask yourself then what kind of justice I is when even before you are charged it is already appearing in a sector of the media.”
But despite everything, Musa was confident that he will be victorious and criticised government for using him as a distraction from the problems affecting the country.
Said Musa
“I am not worried about it. They know that they will not succeed with this ridiculous charge against me. What is very worrying is the amount of victimisation that is going on in our country. This is the distraction that they are trying to create from the major political victimisation against hundreds of innocent people, many single mothers can’t even feed their babies today because of this vindictive government who have taken away their jobs. They want to distract the people from the taxes that they are raising, from the economy that is falling down. They want to distract the people from the raging crime and violence in our country and they are trying to distract the people from all the problems; economic and social problems that the country is going through. But the people are awake and I’m sure they will not be fooled by this attempt to divert and to distract their attention from the serious problems that are affecting our country.”
After his supporters bade him farewell, two of Musa’s attorneys, Anthony Sylvestre Junior and Lisa Shoman fielded questions from reporters.
Anthony Sylvestre Junior
“What we will say at this juncture in terms of what the legal definition of what Theft is we don’t think what has been ventilated in the public domain would not accord with that definition of theft.”
Lisa Shoman
“Remember that this is a criminal case and like in any other criminal case it is not for the defendant to prove anything. It’s for the state to prove their case against Mr. Musa and so the issue of disclosure is going to be very important. It is the D.P.P’s duty and responsibility to make out the case and according to the case that is made out the, disclosure that is obtained, the proofs and evidence that they present, that is how the defence will unfold.”
As far as the Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryl-Lynn Branker-Taitt is concerned, the fact that she is going up against a strong legal team does not trouble her.
Cheryl-Lynn Branker-Taitt, D.P.P.
“I would not have been intimidated if the entire bar was on the other side.”
Jules Vasquez, Channel 7
“You will bring additional charges as well? It will be more than just the charge of theft?”
Cheryl-Lynn Branker-Taitt
“In relation to this particular issue, no but in relation to the entire U.H.S matter yes, other charges will be laid.”
As far as former Attorney General, Francis Fonseca is concerned, Taitt could not immediately say whether any charges will be laid against him. Meanwhile, former Minister of government under the Musa regime, Ralph Fonseca, will face a similar charge of Theft when he appears in the Belmopan Court tomorrow. Reporting for News Five, Marion Ali.
P.U.P leader, Johnny Briceño was not present as he was leaving the country today for Houston. But Musa did have other current and former P.U.P Area Representatives by his side today. And this afternoon the P.U.P. Fort George committee came out in solidarity with the area representative saying that the arrest was political persecution at its worst and a way of distracting the country from the incompetence of the U.D.P. administration.
