Karol Mello expulsion stopped by rushed injunction
Earlier today, Godfrey Smith, attorney for Karol Mello, rushed to the Supreme Court to prevent his expulsion to Slovakia, his country of origin. At midday Justice Oswell Legall granted an injunction to stop his expulsion but Mello, who now holds permanent residency, remains in police custody tonight. Mello is wanted in Slovakia for a series of murders he allegedly orchestrated a few years ago which his family says the Polish courts have cleared him of. Mello, a forty-two year old realtor, fled to Belize in 2010 and has been living in San Pedro with his wife and son until a recent lead by Interpol resulted in his arrest last Wednesday. Mello, who is portrayed as a prominent figure in Europe’s underworld, is being sought for the murders of a woman and child in a slipshod attempt at rubbing out a rival. He is also wanted for two other gangland executions carried out in 2003 and 2004, including a hit on crime boss Peter Congrady. While local authorities did not want to provide details, Mello’s arrest made headlines in Slovakia. But Mello’s attorneys argue that he is being held unlawfully since he has not been charged for any of the crimes he purportedly committed. Mello was represented this morning in the chambers of Justice Oswell Legall by Senior Counsel Godfrey Smith on behalf of Queen’s Counsel Edward Fitzgerald.
Godfrey Smith
Godfrey Smith, Attorney for Karol Mello
“We are not really aware or cannot speak to what the government is doing in relation to his removal. We acted; we went to the court to get an order restraining the Government of Belize acting through the Ministry of Immigration and Nationality from removing or otherwise expelling Karol Mello from Belize until he has been given an opportunity to be heard. That request for an injunction was granted this morning shortly after twelve o’clock by the honorable Mr. Justice Legall and we are in the process of serving it on the relevant authorities.”
Isani Cayetano
“My understanding is that this individual has been living in the country for some time now. He has permanent residency, he lives here with his wife and what have you. They haven’t forwarded you any information as to any criminal wrongdoings that he may have been involved with in his home country?”
Godfrey Smith
“Well that’s why I prefaced my remarks earlier by saying that we could only speak for what we did on our side. We see and hear things on the news but in terms of actually being told why Karol Mello is being detained there has been no information forthcoming. Neither he has been informed nor we acting as his legal representatives have been informed of why he’s been detained, what exactly he’s being held for and why the government of Slovakia requests his removal to that country. I’m sure they’ve said things to the Belize Police Department and maybe the immigration authorities but speaking for ourselves, we have not been told why and that, of course, forms the basis for our moving the court. As you rightly said, Karol Mello is a permanent resident of Belize. He has a valid work permit. He has a family here and regardless of the merits or demerits of seeking to expel him or remove him from Belize he needs to be given an opportunity. He needs to be told what’s the basis of it is and be given and opportunity through his legal representatives to make representations on his behalf.”
Isani Cayetano
Karol Mello
“My understanding is that there is no treaty or any formal arrangement between Belize and Slovakia with regards to extradition and such laws. How does this work in terms of this particular case.”
Godfrey Smith
“I am not aware that there is an extradition treaty but quite frankly all this has come in a big rush and we’ve had to work furiously and frantically to get before the courts. I haven’t had time to properly check that. In the absence of that, the Government of Belize acting again though the Ministry of Nationality has certain powers under the Immigration and Nationality Act and the Aliens Act to remove non-Belizeans from Belize but on certain grounds and after affording certain due process. All we’re saying is that let not the man be spirited out of Belize under the cover of darkness without affording him his due process under the laws of Belize.”
How does someone with multiple international warrants for murder get into Belize in the first place, let alone receive permanent residence and a work permit? I THINK IMMIGRATION HAS MUCH TO EXPLAIN TO THE NATION IN THIS CASE — or he entered with false documents, which is a crime in itself.
We have homegrown killers galore, do we need to import someone who murders a mother and child?
I hope he is sent home soon where he can have a fair trial to clear his good name there. Meanwhile, keep him behind bars because, on the face of it, he is too dangerous to walk our streets.
“his family says the Polish courts have cleared him”
then his trial in his Slovakian homeland should go smoothly, maybe they will dismiss the charges and he can move back to Europe with his family.
Between international gangland murderers, and local homegrown child molesters, the jewel is the place to shoot fish in a barrel.
For once in my Channel 5 commenting history i think i will agree with anything Rod have to say. He’ll say, this is Dean fault, Dean sell us out for 27 pieces of silver, this gov is horrible, whose paying for Deans trip to Miami the tax payers…… um if i missed anything im sure Rod will cover the remaining bases.
Don’t worry mello. You are dealing with a very corrupt gov. Now all you have to do is pay off members of this ya gov. And you gone free so don’t worry we have Nigerians ,Jamaicans, Haitians, Guatemalans, salvadorans, Hondurans Americans we have all kinds of illegals in this country but if you no black you sa have to pay .
belizean here living in the US,mello would have never gotten a green card here in the usa,why?because of his criminal record,but it seems than in belize criminals are welcome,how it happens?corruption,lawyers and someone in the immigration department.
Actually we don’t want him, just make sure he is punished. Our prisons are too luxurious for him. We don’t want to pay 20 years to feed him. We just want make sure he is jailed so we know there is some justice for mafia bosses.
Has anyone stopped to ask the question why this man choose Belize as a hideout. Let me tell you why, Belize is the easiest place for criminals to hide in plain sight. I bet no one did a background check on this person before handing him a working and or a permanent visa. I believe it is harder for a Belizean American to come home and get a working permit than for the Honduran, Guatemalan and other foreigners.
If I were in government I would be pretty ticked off that criminals think we are so easy that they can come and settle down in our country. do u think this Karol give 2 biscuits for the black people of Belize, hell no, he cares only to cover his white skin and thumb his nose at his own government. This government is inept.
Pack him up and send him back, he does not belong to you. If a Belizean were picked up in Slovakia, guess what no questions asked he would be coming home after being beaten and treated like an animal. I am not saying that we should treat him badly, but send him back and let it be known Belize will no longer be a haven for criminals, we have our own to deal with.
Here is a simple procedure take pictures of every applicant, and send their information back to their country or post it on the internet so that all law enforcement in other countries can have access and see if there are any of their criminals hiding in Belize. Don’t wait until you get hundreds of people let this be an ongoing process. Make your process harder, the economy is already not able to support Belizeans, yet we continue to take in the cast offs from other place.
Think Belize and Belizeans first people in government.
I am with you Slovak!!
Ok. we no want this man here, “Series of murders” including women a child, he is heartless to kill a child that a nonono for belize we no want more of ur children dying. He was keeping a low profile cause he knew he was wanted. If he wins his case in Belize, who can guarantee us that he will not return to his criminal activities and turn Belize the center of his operation.s
Use your brain, why he was released from Poland jail ? they know it has political character, now every body can say any thing, but fact is Karol has family and new born second kid, look at hem with your own eye, in real I see good father and good husband, this all is political revenge, and information war. I will not let to nobody wash my brain
I have always been under the impression that you need a copy of a police record from both Belize and your home country (Europe comes under Interpol) to apply for just about any permit to work or reside in Belize.
Would be interesting to see what is in his file ?
Brain wash, information war, political revenge!
Don’t let wash your brain! Might be Karol run away from Europe to Belize, He chose wrong country, no body can get in Belize political refuge-asyle.
Fact is he is good father, good husband, has newborn kid which is second, Did not had any crime in last 7 – 8 years that we know as a fact, If he criminal then why he did not change his name? in Belize its possible money talk, you can do many things there for money, Government of Karol’s country paid as a donation $1,000,000 to get hem out. If he is a criminal than proof, they can’t, they prefer to pay for hem to ged hem out of Belize and put hem and who knows what they will do lather… If they know that he is murder then do legally… Political Political… Nasty world whit dirty government, Money sucker…
Alright naysayers, Uncle Benji told you so, but today I will be nice and not rub it in your face. The
Slovak walks!
To become a Belizean resident all you need is visit the country, no background check is done. Like the song says this land is your land this land is my land it was made for you and me “ONLY IN BZ.
Slovakia has big problem with corruption, moral and democracy (for example see: “golrila files”). it does not matter if Mello will be sent to Slovakia, where about destiny are deciding corrupted media, but I will be very pleased if country like Belize will give a lesson about human rights and democracy to unprofessional corrupted Slovakian government.
should be: “gorila files”
you can google this or:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorilla_scandal
@Grant, no you do not need a police record from your home country only a police record from Belize which makes no sense to me, since of course if you are running to Belize you are not going to do anything to get the Police attention so you will have a clean Belize record. I agree with everyone that state we do not need any imported killers of women and children we have enough home grown ones here send his behind back to where he came from before he starts executing here for money. I don’t give a damn how many babies he makes here he is still a killer and needs to leave. Good riddance to bad rubbish. We have enough bad rubbish here that is keeping our good citizens hostage.
I am sure he sailed through immigration because he is WHITE Belizeans adore White people, if he was a Black Belizean American they would have treated him like undesireable, and that is a FACT.
Not taking sides on this matter, but I think what the attorney is saying is let both countries (Belize and Slovakia) prove the merits of deporting this man. If it is true that he committed these crimes and is wanted; then Belize has no choice but to deport. However, If it is not true, then let the justice system here decide his faith. Slovakia does has some corruption. You can read it in wikepidia at:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Slovakia
Mello is a murder! He killed and ordered to kill, he rubbed, threatened, fight and beated just for fun. Hope he will burn in hell.
It’s easier for someone to aquire Belizean Citizenship than for a born Belizean to renew his or her passport.What a !@#$%^& shame on our leaders.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/270052.stm
Need I say more http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/270052.stm
For us this is so that when someone chooses the government will make him a murderer. Evidence even if they are – they are made. Police arresting people and their barrels to release it because what he sees police as evidence for the judiciary is unacceptable. This is Slovakia
Wow
yes, slovakia is corrupt and yes, he is probably a good father and husband, but he is still a serial murder and deserves a punishment. A child with his mother before they were killed – a good husband and father right? http://img.cas.sk/img/4/gallery/460574_vrazda-chlapec-henrieta-riso-risko-most-pri-bratislave-zastreleny.jpg
Hey AL… when you offering to pack hem and send home – jail, do you think he will be better then now? or what? He has a family, he lives for them! look at yourself first, and count how many time you stole from your boss and others… you’re talking about skin, look at your skin lazy racist, from hell! You’re jelouse of your white bosses. How many kids do you have? and how many women gave birth to you children, with which children do you live? you have to pack and go to the hell, People can make the mistake one time it can be different kind of mistake, but your mistake against the closest people to you and your blood, your child, every day, every hour, every minute, they need the love from parents, but you don’t have a heart to think about that, you just wish to two more kids live without father. By the way, every one has a chance to change his life and work on his mistakes, That man is a good husband and father and you are not a GOD to judge good people out your dirty mouth.
You hate withe people, because the’y invest money in your country, they’re traveling to your country, to spend money for your budget, volenteering many kind of doctors to cure you, to pay you sallary, not lazy and rich. (Even if criminals come to your country, they come with money, and put in money. With that money, your country somehow stands, and not becoming bankrupt. And all you guys do is be jelouse.) You cannot accuse someone of being guilty, when you yourself are guilty. Every single person has done a sin, and somehow payed off for it. This man already suffered enough, through his children’s tears. His guilt of not being there for his newborn boy is already the biggest punishment yet. Why add more? Has he really brought you that much hatred? Helping your country, the economy? Think twice, and see who is the actual bad guy, you or him.
Do Immigration Authority in Belize have the Internet?
http://www.interpol.int/Wanted-Persons/%28wanted_id%29/2011-41694
Slovakia is not so corrupt as you all mean. The level of corruption is similar to countries like Poland (Warsaw), Czech Republic (Prague), Hungary (Budapest) and very close to Austria (Vienna). Slovakia is the member of European Union and European Monetary Union (we use Euro like the other member countries: Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Spain, etc.). Please try to take a look at corroption perceptions index by Transparecy International (http://www.transparency.org/research/cpi/overview).
Mr. Mello has not been cleared by a court or by Polish Government in Poland (all crimes were commited in Slovakia, including murders of 10 years old boy and a woman) as his family declared. In May 2011 he was released by Slovak courts due to procedural errors by a court. And exactly since May he escaped outside European Union. I ask why? And why exactly to Belize? The answer is very simple:)
Keep him,we don’t want people like him in Slovakia. But he,his girlfriend – slovakian actress Zuzana Marosova and his older son should give up slovakian citizenship and never go back. Every country in the world would be better without such a criminals like Mello
Keep him. We don’t need such a criminal in Slovakia. But he,his girlfriend (not wife,they are NOT married) slovakian actress Zuzana Marosova and their older son,should give up slovakian citizenship and never come back. Slovakia would be much better without him
I agree,let him stay out of Slovakia. Can he just tell us where is slovakian jurnalist Palo Rypal? Missing for several years after his work about slovakian mafia – including Mello. His family would like any information. May be mello know what happened to him