| Exactly a year ago, we showed you when the Punta Gorda Police Department hauled 13 Mayans from San Cruz into the Magistrate's Court on charges of unlawful detention. That's because they tied up and detained Creole Belizean Rupert Myles because they say that he built his house on the sacred Ux Benka Maya Site.
Well today, after months of attending court adjournments on the criminal charge, the Santa Cruz 13, now Santa Cruz 11 turned up for their adjournment. To their surprise, This morning the Director of Public Prosecutions discontinued the charges against all remaining 11 defendants setting them free. It's a welcomed end for the case, and in a press release today, the Maya Leaders Alliance said that they congratulate the Director of Public Prosecutions for acknowledging, quote, "the 13 accused who, along with their families, suffered in-calculable hardships as a result of their arrest and prosecution." End Quote.
Today, we spoke by phone to Cristina Coc, who resumed her role as spokes Persons for the MLA following her acquittal as one of the Santa Cruz 13. Here's what she told us via telephone this evening about the outcome of the case:
Christina Coc, One of the Santa Cruz 13, acquitted
"It's been a year that the charges were brought against the Mayan leaders, myself included and today over a year later, the DPP discontinued the case on the grounds that it was not in the interest of justice."
Daniel Ortiz
"Did she explained to the court what exactly was her thinking in how justice would be miscarriage?"
Christina Coc, One of the Santa Cruz 13, acquitted
"No she did not, despite the request of both our counsels. She did not feel she said she needed to explain that given that the case is now discontinued, she had no reason to provide that explanation."
"Of course we are relieved. This is wonderful news for us and not just for us, but for all of Belize. The Santa Cruz 13 and in fact the greater Maya community have always held that there was no case to answer to. Because the charges that were brought against us; common assault, aggravated assault, was not a crime that we were ever guilty of. So I am glad that the state has come to this reasonable conclusion and have realized that they have no case against us. So we are very happy that they came to the same conclusion as the Maya people. Of course we came to that conclusion a year ago."
As you heard, Coc said that they tried to clarify with DPP Vidal why she decided to withdraw the charges, and that she reportedly did not want to reveal her reasons. This evening, we spoke to her via telephone and she told us, quote, "I did that, which it was my duty to do… any questions that anyone may have about the matter, I think they should direct them at Mr. Myles." End quote.
As you're aware, Rupert Myles was the complainant in this case, and so, the inference we draw from the outcome is that Myles may have indicated that he wanted no further court action. It's either that or he failed to hold up his obligations as complainant, and it forced the hand of the prosecution to discontinue the case.
The Maya Leaders Alliance adds, Quote, "This was always a case about the constitutional rights of poor people in Belize and whether or not officials would respect the rule of law. Today's decision is a victory for everyone who finds themselves on the right side of the law, but the wrong end of an access to justice problem." End Quote
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