They're political rivals in Orange Walk North - and now Gaspar Vega and Munchie Cervantez are duking it out in the Supreme Court. Vega says Cervantez slandered him by accusing him of setting up the criminal conspiracy to kill his father. He also alleges that FIESTA FM - which is owned by John Briceno's family also broadcast the slander.
The case is cut right along political lines: Vega is defended by the Prime Minister's Law partner, Rodwell Williams, while Cervantez is defended by former Prime Minister Said Musa, and the Briceno's are defended by long time political ally Eamon Courtenay.
The case started yesterday - and continued today with Rodwell Williams trying to get the actual recording of the allegations put into evidence. But it's complicated - because the recording of the phone call with the alleged killer is in Spanish and the language of the court is English. Williams tried to introduce a translation he got done, but that didn't work. And so at the end of arguments today - with the tape of the allegations still not played in court, attorneys for Cervantez and FIESTA FM were feeling confident. Here's what they told the press:..
Hon. Said Musa, SC - Attorney for the Cervantes Family
"The fundamentals of this case is the allegation that my client published or re-published a libelous article against Minister Vega and I am yet to hear any evidence of that and as far as I am aware the case for the claimant is about to conclude and we are still waiting for that kind of evidence, because there is none. There will be none."
Eamon Courtenay, SC - Attorney for Fiesta FM
"It is our position that the claimant will not be allowed to play the recording in court. Mr. Williams say that he is going to make such an application. I will only describe it as a novel application and we look forward to seeing the law that will support that. I am not sure where he is going to find it."
Hon. Said Musa, SC - Attorney for the Cervantes Family
"Clearly, they won't be able to prove any broadcast by Fiesta FM. They are only relying on a tape from Love FM, which is not really evidence."
And while they feel that they have Williams and his client Vega on the ropes, Williams says he has a workaround: the official court interpreter will have to listen to the tape in open court and translate it in real time:..
Rodwell Williams, SC - Attorney for Gaspar Vega
"So it seems now that we will now have to go through the process and have the tape recording which is in evidence, except that the language of the court is English and that matter is in Spanish. So, it has to be played and interpreted by the official court interpreter."
Mike Rudon, CH5
"A case in libel and slander as they have told us hinges on this recording, the words in this recording. It is the second day of the trial...."
Rodwell Williams
"As I have said, there is a Spanish transcription of the recorded conversation and an English translation of that Spanish transcript already in evidence. Just that it is our version. But it is in evidence and there is no other version before the court than the one we have there."
The case has been adjourned to September 18th. And keeping up appearances in the court of public opinion Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega again had a throng of supporters waiting for him outside the courthouse.
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