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Accused Of Major Gov’t Graft, Enriquez Gets Bail
posted (April 30, 2015)
Last week Friday, we told you how 28 year-old David Enriquez, the Public Officer from the Treasury Department, was charged for the theft of over half a million dollars from his workplace. Well tonight, he's at home free after being granted bail by the Supreme Court. That's after spending 6 days on remand.

His attorney, Oscar Selgado, applied to the Supreme Court for bail this afternoon, and they were granted an audience before Justice Troadio Gonzalez. Crown Counsel Javair Chan advised the court that the DPP's Office was not in a position to offer any objections due to the short time that the application was forwarded to that office. He said that the DPP's Office would leave it up to the judge's discretion to decide whether or not Enriquez deserved bail. After consideration, Justice Gonzalez granted him bail of $40,000 dollars which he was able to meet this evening.

But, tonight we show you another man who has been charged in connection with the monies fleeced from the public purse. That man is Dangriga resident Francis Palacio, and he's now facing a charge of handling stolen goods for 225 thousand dollars of the missing money. He too applied for bail before Justice Gonzalez, and it was granted. Justice Gonzalez set the bail amount at $4,000 dollars, which he was able to meet this afternoon as well.

So, what is his connection to the theft of public funds? Well today, his attorney, Dickey Bradley was careful to point out to the media that the police are alleging that the money was found in a bank account which he shares jointly with others:

Dickey Bradley, attorney
"My client Francis Palacio has not been charged for the theft of any money. Monies from wherever went into an account in Seine Bight Village in Dangriga, in the Stann Creek District. He is not charged for stealing that money. He is charged for handling the money, because it is in an account for which he among others are responsible for a project. So, it's a totally different matter and I could not say to you - I don't know what is the details of Enrique's allegations against him. I suspect that must be the matter the Prime Minister was speaking about. Clearly it must be two different matters, but I couldn't say to you what is the details in relation to that. He is charged for theft of $540 plus thousand dollars, for which he has been given a very high bail. But I will have a chance to speak to my client next week to get details of what are the documentation to say if that money came from the treasury, if it came from wherever, because they get grants and they get donations from overseas financing and so on. So, I couldn't tell you if both are actually related."

Mike Rudon, Ch 5
"You wouldn't be able to tell us the quantum for which your client was charged for handling?"

Dickey Bradley, attorney
"It's nothing close for what the other person has been charged. Been handling maybe for over $100,000 plus dollars."

Both men were given conditions to their bail that they must surrender all travel documents, report to police weekly, attend all adjournments of their criminal case, and to avoid tampering with any prosecution witnesses.

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