His job is to help out the oppressed and marginalized – but tonight Ombudsman’s assistant Lionel Castillo is accused of extorting one of the very people he’s supposed to help. 7NEWS has confirmed that on Friday, police set up a sting operation to catch Castillo in the act of soliciting money for getting prisoner Kelvin Reneau out on parole. But that’s only the tip of a scandal that could rock the magistracy. Jules Vasquez has more.
Jules Vasquez Reporting,
Reneau was freed on July 27th – after a Parole Board meeting on the 25th. But he claims that days later Castillo was claiming that his contacts on the Parole Board that had secured his release. For that Castillo was allegedly asking for $5,000. Reneau gave him $500 first, and then he claims after Castillo continued pursue him, he agreed to give another $3,500.
The money was to be exchanged at Old Belize on Friday. But police had been alerted and Commissioner Gerald Westby confirms that his department recorded an encounter on audio and videotape. Additionally, the 35 $100 bills were marked – and police searched Castillo shortly after the money changed hands and he is alleged to have been found in possession of those marked bills.
And while Castillo’s case is one thing, his involvement with the Magistrate’s Court is quite another. 7NEWS has learnt that in recorded comments made during the same sting operation, he made implications of the involvement of at least two Magistrates in corrupt matters.
Attorney General Francis Fonseca says that at this point his Ministry cannot be talking about investigating Magistrates without evidence from the police. He says he personally has no knowledge of any Magistrate’s involvement but adds that any suggestion of involvement would warrant an investigation.
Of course anyone can recklessly allege wrongdoing on the part of public officials, but Castillo is no ordinary man; because of his office and affiliations, he is known to enjoy untrammelled access to the Magistracy – and spends many of his working days in the courts consulting with Magistrates.
