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Darlene Padron Says Amy Forte Did Sign, Not a Forgery
posted (September 4, 2017)
No forgery! That's what Justice of the Peace Darlene Padron says about the Amy Forte case.

Last week, it became headline news when Prime Minister Dean Barrow ordered a criminal investigation into that Caye Caulker land compensation case. That's the land flip where Gaspar Vega's son, Andre, was given prime real estate on Mosquito Caye as compensation for the paper title he had to a pre-owned piece of land that the Lands Department shouldn't have sold.

The alleged middleman - or middle-woman, in this case - was Amy Forte, and as we told you, she says that her signature was forged - and that she never did any land business with Andre Vega.

Well tonight, 7News has learned that there is a counter allegation against Forte, one which says that this was no forgery.

It comes from Darlene Padron, the Justice of the Peace who signed as having witnessed the transfer of that paper title from Forte to Andre Vega in this conveyance deed.

Padron's attorney, Godwin Haylock, today wrote a letter on her behalf to Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte. We understand that the Attorney General's Ministry, which is in charge of all JP's countrywide, had been pressing Padron for a response to the allegation that she willfully participated in a forgery of Forte's signature by authenticating the document as an official witness to the transaction. That's a serious breach of ethics with possible criminal implications for Padron, not to mention that she is at risk of being stripped of her position as a Justice of the Peace.

Well, in the letter from Padron's attorney to AG Peyrefitte, it reads, quote, "Ms. Padron has requested that I confirm that a lady appearing to be the likeness of Ms. Amy Forte provided her (Padron) with an ID card in the name, Amy Forte. She (Padron) verified that the picture on the card was the same person in front of her. Amy Forte then proceeded to sign the Deed of Conveyance with a signature similar to that on the ID card. Ms. Padron witnessed the signature, after which, she authenticated the Deed with her signature and JP Stamp.

In view of the public comments made by the Attorney General of Belize, and the fact that, to date, Ms. Amy Forte has not given the police any statement, my client seeks that your Ministry now clears her name publicly. At the appropriate time, Ms. Padron's case will be presented unhesitatingly, both in the court of public opinion, and in the court of law." End Quote.

So, that's where it is now, Darlene Padron is asserting that this was not forgery, and the Amy Forte did indeed sign that document. We also understand that the Attorney General's Ministry has trying to get Amy Forte and her attorney to bring her complaint of forgery before them, but, so far, they've been unsuccessful.

And today, the police top brass confirmed to the press that they are trying to get Forte to give a written statement of complaint to them, so that they can start their criminal investigation. Here's what the Acting Police Commissioner told the media this morning:

Deputy ComPol Noel Leal, Acting Commissioner of Police
"I have assign Assistant Superintendent of Police from the Major Crimes Unit from the day the Prime Minister informed us about the information. So far that investigation is being done at 2 levels; it is being done at the Belize City level where the complainant and her attorneys are mostly based and it is also being done from the Belmopan level in regards to the Lands Department and I must say that the investigators have gotten in touch with the attorneys and we have not been able to get a written complaint yet from the complainant, but we are expecting to do that now and as this morning when I had a briefing with the commanders just before coming here, that is what they were pursuing this morning. So hopefully we will get the complainant in and I understand she might be from out of the city or the district. The attorney has assured us that they will get her in to give us a statement. We have a lot of the documents already being put together and hopefully we will be able to complete the investigation in a relatively short time."

Reporter
"Are you able to say who is leading the investigation?"

Deputy Compol Noel Leal, Acting Commissioner of Police
"It's under the supervision of Assistant Superintendent of Police Mr. Solomon Westby, who is heading the Major Crimes Unit and he is being assisted from the Belize City side by Assistant Superintendent of Police Mr. Alejandro Cowo."

Up to news time when we checked with Forte's attorney, she told us that Forte had not yet made a statement. As we have mentioned, 7News has information which suggests that one of Forte's family members has been involved in land transactions.

So, while Padron claims that she saw Amy Forte sign the document, Prime minister Dean Barrow has already cancelled the conveyance of the Caye Walker property property between Vega and Forte. He has also cancelled the compensation deal where Andre Vega got 7 acres of land on Mosquito Caye. A release from the Prime Minister's office said, quote, "the Prime Minister has concluded that the charge of fraud raised by Ms. Forte is credible." In his own release, Vega said that he was giving the land back.

A few things jump out at us: first, if Amy Forte did present herself to do a land transaction - then a photo of her ID should be in the file for the Lands transaction. Second, when Padron signed the conveyance - it must have appeared unusual that Forte was selling Andre Vega almost an acre of beachfront land on northern Caye Caulker for thirty thousand dollars - when it is worth almost ten times that.

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