Rene Montero is back; cops and courts welcome him

Published by BBNTEAM at July 27, 2022

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Posted: Wednesday, July 27, 2022. 7:29 pm CST.

By Aaron Humes: Former Minister of Government Rene Montero, Sr. of San Ignacio Town appeared this afternoon in Belmopan Magistrate’s Court on a charge of “wilful oppression,” for which he was offered and met bail of 20 thousand dollars. He is being represented by attorney Richard “Dickie” Bradley.

This evening, Bradley informed Breaking Belize News (BBN) that Montero was jointly charged with George Andrews, who was named on the same information and complaint released several months ago. Andrews was offered and met bail of $15,000.

Both men were ordered by the Magistrate to surrender their passports and were banned from leaving Belize without the permission of the court. They are not to interfere with any witnesses in the case and are to sign in with police officers every Friday in San Ignacio.

Montero, former Minister of Works, has been a wanted man for several months, facing allegations of abusing authority from 2016 to 2019 while a Minister by alleged facilitation of the use of Government property on his private estate. He denies wrongdoing.

Bradley told us that his client had been in communication with Police, arranging to return to face the charges when he had sufficiently recovered from his medical condition, which he declined to elaborate on. Montero in his judgment still looked “frail and pale” and not the part of someone actively trying to dodge the law.

Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, told reporters this morning that it was “unfair” that his Department is being accused of not doing enough to apprehend Montero: “You must understand that Belize Police do not work abroad and wherever Mr. Montero was, we do not work there…We have communicated with INTERPOL and you all saw the Red Notice from INTERPOL where Mr. Montero is concerned; I don’t know if you expect me to give directions to the INTERPOL person in the U.S. and tell them what to do, but that is not how it works.” He added that he was informed of Montero’s return by his attorneys on Tuesday.

But will the charges stand? It’s up to the courts now, Williams said: “I have read the piece of law in the Criminal Code that the DPP had directed Mr. Montero be charged under. I am not a seasoned attorney – but you know sometimes seasoned chickens spoil, so not everything that is seasoned is good – but from my understanding of the law, the charge is appropriate.” Each side, he said, will have its day in court to defend its side of the charges.

The charge is an indictable offense. The matter has been adjourned to October 24.

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