As we reported two months ago, the PUP is challenging UDP Leader Shyne Barrow's registration as a voter in his own constituency of Mesopotamia at #80 King Street. They're trying to get him struck from the voters' list - and former PUP Minister Dickie Bradley is defending Barrow.
The case continued before the Chief Magistrate today where the PUP's Attorney, Leeroy Banner produced his third witness, mace bearer Henry Mortis, who said he was instructed by the PUP to take pictures of Shyne Barrow previous and new residence.
Today, Barrow's attorney said that testimony was of no use to the court, because it did not capture the house during the period in question:
Dickie Bradley, Attorney for Shyne Barrow
"And so what transpired today is the third witness on behalf of objectors, the two who are trying their very best to have the revising officer remove the Honorable Moses Shyne Barrow from the constituency of the Mesopotamia division."
"There was an attempt some weeks ago which they abandoned but now that the list has come for the annual revision which must be completed in a few days time for the year 2023, they have raised objections again."
"Two witnesses have spoken at length claiming that the reason they're objecting is that they do not know that the Honorable Barrow resided or resides at that address. The witness who has come to, is a witness who says he was directed by his employers to do a surveillance of the Honorable Barrow's previous address and his current address at number 80 King Street."
"That witness is of very little help to the court, to the revising officer, because he can't speak to the period which was checked, certified and verified by the elections officials who have no axe to grind. they're job is just to ensure that a voter who is transferring within the transfer period, which is 2 months out of each year or a new voter meets the criteria."
"So that witness is a no help really to bring a picture to show that the Honorable Barrow vehicle was parked outside of his previous address is neither here or there."
Other witnesses include PUP constituency stalwarts Gary Ayuso and Dorla Vaughan.
But the case took an interesting turn when suddenly today the Chief Magistrate Jayani Wegadapola decided to go make a site visit. Bradley explains:
Dickie Bradley, Attorney for Shyne Barrow
"The learned Chief Magistrate of Belize said she was thinking that perhaps having heard so much about this particular building at King Street, that maybe it would be good for the court to actually visually see the building and if possible, if it is possisble to even go inside the building, I readily agree and my colleague, Leroy Banner, is also in agreement with that matter."
"So what happened is the Chief Magistrate says, well, I was thinking of going now. This is like, it's between the lunch hour 12 and 1. So I don't want it to appear that from our end we dont want the court to see the building or to see that this is in fact, really you have just come from there, I saw you out there, that in fact this is a house, a residence which has been renovated to include a portion to be used as a resource centre, which has been there for a long time."
"The yard is fenced. You would have seen that this is a building looked like 40, 45 feet long by 24 feet. The Chief Magistrate ask to see inside of the building and in fact, low and behold, the building is big enough to accommodate the office and the furnitures are there and the whole other half of the building is entirely for political matters including a bed and a little reading table and a refrigerator."
"So the Chief Magistrate has visited what we called the locust area where there is concern. The trial continues."
The case continues next week when Bradley will call witnesses for Shyne Barrow.
