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Convicted Police Firearms Examiner Orlando Vera
posted (July 4, 2017)
3 weeks ago, we told you about how the convicted police firearms examiner Orlando Vera was attempting to get bail. He's currently serving a 2-year sentence for abetment to pervert the course of justice.

He has a pending appeal which the Supreme Court believes that it can dispose of urgently, and so his first attempt to get bail failed. The DPP's office committed that it would be ready to proceed against him, but, it seems there are some administrative difficulties. The records for the case, from the Magistrate's Court have been slow in arriving to the Supreme Court, and that means that the deadlines for Vera's appeal have been pushed back.

So, his attorney went to the Supreme Court asking the judge to consider granting bail this time around, since the delays are not his clients fault. He explained outside of court this evening:

Anthony Sylvestre, Attorney for Orlando Vera
"His lordship has adjourned the matter and gave a ruling on the 13th. At that time he indicated that bail would be refused, but the appellant would be at liberty to apply back for bail, in the event that certain timelines were not complied with and one of those important time lines was that the record of appeal was to be completed by the 23rd June. Now when the 23rd of June came and we didn't receive the record of appeal, we then made a subsequent application for bail. That bail hearing came on last Friday which would have been the 30th. At that time the matter was further adjourned because we were given a copy of what purported to be a record of appeal about the 27th. Upon examine it I realize that an entire day's proceedings were in fact not included and so that was brought to the court's attention. The supreme court then gave directions for the magistracy to try to look into this matter and see what really was the situation."

"We are of the view that you really cannot be produce at this time a regular of appeal that whatever is sought to be given would be irregular, which is to say that it would not be in accordance with the strict provisions of the summary jurisdiction procedural act in relation to how records of proceedings are to be kept and where they are to be kept and who is supposed to have custody of them."

"The point being made to the court is that look when this matter first came up, there was the suggestion that this thing could be dealt with very quickly. And so a timeline of the 10th July was set. Now clearly gone pass that. None of these issues which are affecting and delaying the hearing of the appeal are a result or a cause of Mr. Vera, the appellant. So he should not be the one who ought to suffer or ought to suffer the blunt of whatever difficulties or administrative difficulties they be, in having everything ready and be able to fast track as was put to the supreme court."

Daniel Ortiz
"How would you answer to the criticism that your client isn't exactly being affectively negatively, because he has a conviction and a sentence he is serving?"

Anthony Sylvestre, Attorney for Orlando Vera
"One of the things that we had raise, it's not really been decided on, is that prior to 2011, all persons who were convicted of a criminal offence in the magistrate court could have obtain bail, once you lodge your appeal."

"There was an amendment to the supreme court of adjudicator act and in that amendment in our view a provision which in our view places convicted persons from the magistracy in Belize different position I would respectfully say from other persons in other jurisdiction, because what that amendment says is that a person who has been convicted can apply to the supreme court for bail and the provisions of the Crime Control and Criminal Justice Act."

The case returns before Justice Herbert Lord on Friday, when it is expected that he will rule on whether or not Vera will remain in jail.

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