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COLA’s Private Prosecution Of Penner
posted (February 27, 2014)
And while that 5% should provide some comfort to the teachers and public officers, on the political front government continues to hemorrhage politically for Elvin Penner's Citizen Kim affair. And the pressure is increasing as the 6 month statute bar draws near. As we've explained, those who say he committed a crime have to act before a 6 month statute bar prohibits them from trying to bring charges. The Kim stunt was pulled in early September, so the statute bar limitation kicks in next week, which is early March. That's why the PUP got their mandamus hearing tomorrow, and today we found out that COLA is also going for a private prosecution of Penner before the deadline. Their plan is very much a work in progress, but they say they have to get it in before the deadline. They explained at a press conference this morning at the Radisson that they have the intent but no attorney at this time:...

Gilroy Usher Jr. - VP, COLA
"At COLA we assert that Mr. Penner committed a crime against the integrity of this nation. Now where there exist a reluctance on the part of the state to take adequate action we the members of COLA through consultation with the people decided and will initiate a private prosecution against Elvin Penner."

Geovanni Brackett - President, COLA
"We must applaud the Prime Minister in that we will take him up. He suggested a private prosecution and hear what, we will take an attempt. Why will we make this an attempt? We will make this attempt because we believe the learned Prime Minister would not dare to suggest something that was impossible."

Nedal Murphy 'Jihad' McLaren - COLA
"He betrayed the country, he betrayed the people of Belize when he sold passports."

Geovanni Brackett - President, COLA
"And so we are calling out today on any attorney whether UDP or PUP, whether you just got into the bar or you were there for 50 years to assist us in going forward in this private prosecution and so we are calling out there and with or without an attorney tomorrow we will file a private prosecution 10am in the Belmopan Magistrate Court tomorrow. The reason why we have to file tomorrow is because the 6 months will be up actually by Monday, so we won't know what avenue really or what to be satisfy until we start get the ball rolling."

Jules Vasquez
"Is it a grandstanding?"

Geovanni Brackett - President, COLA
"It's not a grandstanding."

Jules Vasquez
"However let's look at the definition of grandstanding; grandstanding is when you are saying that you will do something for which you have no means to do it."

Geovanni Brackett - President, COLA
"So we are limited yes in certain regards Jules, but at the same time we have to get the ball rolling and if we don't file early right now then we will never know if this was an avenue that we could have exhaust."

Rufus X, COLA executive
"I must need say Jules that if the private persecution fails, it simply means that your Prime Minister failed - that's the part he chooses to direct the people down."

Geovanni Brackett - President, COLA
"COLA believe that Penner must be made answerable to the people of Belize. Penner must face some questioning board and he must be pressured and we are going to try this avenue before we try some other avenues that we won't discuss because we won't put all our cards out on the table."

Nedal Murphy 'Jihad' McLaren - COLA
"Whatever is necessary to be done to get Mr. Penner shall be done. There is no escape route for nobody in this government system anymore to offend the people of Belize and think they are going to walk off scotch free."

The crimes COLA is accusing Penner of is passport act vouching the fitness of an applicant to qualify for a passport under the passport act and signing a passport recommendation for Kim when he knew Kim did not qualify, which is an offence under the nationality act.

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