Alleged Slovakian Mafia Boss and Belizean Permanent Resident Karol Mello continues to languish in jail pending an expulsion order which was issued to him on July 16th.
A "habeas corpus" hearing has been set for next week where his attorney Godfrey Smith is demanding that he be brought before the court - on the argument that he is being wrongfully detained.
Today, we spoke to Minister of Immigration Godwin Hulse who told us what the Government's position on Mello is:...
Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Immigration
"Of course as you know I signed the order and the order after proper consultation with the director of immigration, the police and everybody else's concern and we are hoping to enforce the order."
Jules vasquez
"But then why didn't you all expel him on the 16th when the order was issued?"
Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Immigration
"There is a little complication there in terms of how it was done. It should have been done on that day. There was a glitch with the police I understand and how it was done and the attorneys for him were able to get the court to get a restraining order against us but let me make this clear to the Belizean public - it is my view and this is my view that any person who is not a citizen of Belize who is a permanent resident of Belize who is requested by his government - the government of which he holds a passport and of which he is citizen and as long as it is a legitimate government - it not some government that we have any difficulty with who says that he is accused of some crime or otherwise it is our view that he should actually be exonerated by his peers, so he should face the music, to use a clear word. After that he is happy to come back to Belize to resume his residency. That is my candid view. I don't think that we are in a position to suggest to a sovereign government that their citizen should not be returned to their country. We don't have any extradition orders with that country, but Lord man, if it was a Belizean who was accused of doing something here and he fled to another country we would want him back here to stand trial basically."
Jules vasquez
"Sir but in the interim he won't be secreted out at the height of the night?"
Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Immigration
"It is not our plan; we are going to abide by the law."
The hearing is set for Tuesday, July 31st.
