And while they were getting ready to rumble upstairs in the CJ’s courtroom, downstairs in the Magistrate’s Court – the Ashcroft Empire was preparing for war on another front. Belize Bank President Phil Johnson was summoned to appear to answer to 79 charges for failure to report suspicious transactions. But he failed to appear this morning when the case was called up before Magistrate Sharon Frazer. BB Holdings Director Martin Marshalleck did appear.
Johnson’s attorney Eamon Courtenay explained that his client’s absence was not disrespect but necessitated because the summons was not properly worded. Magistrate Frazer agreed that it was not clear in the summons if he should be there as a defendant or a witness. She could not read the charges with those defects and adjourned the hearing to Friday.
