A much anticipated Supreme Court ruling on an application for judicial review of the latest government appointed commission of inquiry has been postponed indefinitely. Justice Manuel Sosa late Tuesday threw out the case brought by People’s United Party leader Said Musa against commissioners Harry Lui and William Tillett on a technicality. Solicitor General Gian Ghandi […]
The Society for the Promotion of Education and Research, SPEAR, and Assad Shoman have won a libel suit against the Banana Growers Association. The suit was brought against the B.G.A. in connection with allegations made by members of the Association during a strike in 1995 that SPEAR and Shoman had instigated violence, which resulted in […]
A new temporary Justice of the Supreme Court was sworn in this morning by Governor General Sir Colville Young, and by afternoon he was scheduled to begin hearing cases. The appointment of Justice Howard Nathan was made possible by the Australian Legal Resources International in conjunction with the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation. It is […]
For a while last year they were among Belize’s most wanted, but today the Leiva brothers, Javier and Othon, are free men. According to Director of Public Prosecutions, Adolph Lucas, there was a lack of sufficient evidence to convict them of the murder of twenty four year old Corozal farmer Luciano Basto, and therefore he […]
Acting Chief Justice George Meerabux has ruled that American reptile dealer Tommy Crutchfield should be expelled from the country. The ruling confirms an order made on February twenty eighth by Minister of Foreign Affairs Dean Barrow. Crutchfield is allegedly wanted in the United States on charges of smuggling animals into the U.S. in violation of […]
A landmark decision in the Supreme Court today advanced government’s strong support for the death penalty and sent two death row prisoners one step closer to the hangman’s noose. Justice George Meerabux dismissed a motion by convicted murderers Herman Mejia and Nicholas Guevara who were trying to have their sentences overturned on a Constitutional Motion. […]
Despite the lack of a new extradition treaty, Belize and the United States seem to be cooperating just fine when it comes to handing over suspected criminals to Uncle Sam. In the latest attempt to kick out an American, however, Attorney General Dean Barrow has run into some unexpected opposition… his brother Denys. News Five’s […]
In court news, Mark Henry was this morning found not guilty of attempted murder and robbery. A nine member jury acquitted Henry of both charges which arose out of an incident in December of 1994 in which one Fidel Castro was shot and robbed. Henry defended himself while Marilyn Williams represented the crown.
Vasquez gets 2 years in death of Monique The preview of Justice Meerabux’s decision in the Musa case was not the only activity in the judge’s courtroom. This morning the atmosphere was tense as a packed house awaited the sentencing of Francis Vasquez in connection with the shooting death of his live-in girlfriend, Monique Emmanuel, […]
While the Chief Justice made no major announcement regarding the administration of justice over the next twelve months, the same does not hold true for Attorney General Dean Barrow. Using the privilege of responding to Sir George’s review speech, Barrow revealed that in the coming months, several things will happen, which should go a long […]
In related news, the Bar Association has welcomed the news that help is on the way in clearing up the huge back-log of cases still pending before the Supreme Court. President of the Bar Lois Young says it is a positive move in the right direction. Lois Young, President, Bar Association of Belize The two […]
