The family of Karol Mello would first like to thank the Country of Belize and the Hon. Dean Barrow with particular thanks to San Pedro where Mr. Mello and his family have lived, have given birth to their second child, and have been a welcomed asset to the community for over twelve months.
Mr. Mello was not here in hiding or under any false identities and the fact is that he entered the country legally using his name. He has not been on the run but only seeking refuge from constant persecution from a corrupt Government. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTWBIGOVANTCOR/Resources/slovrep44 .pdf Mr. Mello was released by Slovakian Courts four separate times based on the ruling of a previous judge which all four rulings were upheld by the Slovakian Supreme Court.
Through the courts of Poland back to the supreme courts of Slovakia, Mr. Mello was detained without any evidence and all court documents currently in our counsel’s possession will prove that he has and will continue to be vindicated.
We would like to state only facts as we are preparing to fight all charges through our counsel Mr. Edward Fitzgerald QC, a known activist on human rights, false imprisonment, and extradition.
Mr. Mello was detained by San Pedro police on Wednesday afternoon; he was escorted to his home where an immigration officer confiscated his wife and children’s credentials with a promise to return them upon receiving Mr. Mello’s credentials that were not in their possession at that time. He was returned to the San Pedro police station where he was detained until being transferred to Belmopan for questioning on Thursday morning. He was never read his rights for due process and only asked what his name was and he was finger printed. He was transferred after 72 hours in the middle of night to Belize City were he still has not been read his rights nor has he been fed, allowed a change of clothes, or even allowed to brush his teeth since leaving San Pedro.
Mr. Mello has been exonerated by Poland’s high courts and a certified transcript of the judge’s ruling will be forthcoming within the next few days. Mr. Mello was and continues to be an upstanding businessman who has been branded by a very corrupt government due in a large part to his business practice of owning a casino. Mr. Mello’s homeland is one of the highest ranked countries for government corruption, bribery and false imprisonment.
Mr. Mello’s counsel is in possession of court documents that prove that he is a victim of his own government’s false prosecution in this matter. Their claim is to have him returned to face charges that he has already been cleared of, and is nothing more than a corrupt government extorting an honest businessman. The Slovakian Government has been criticized and accused of not only disregarding Mr. Mello’s personal rights and freedoms, but malevolently ignoring International laws and court decisions. They have illegally made failed attempts to go into foreign lands and with untruths attempted to persuade foreign courts to charge or extradite Mr. Mello back to Slovakia.
Mr. Mello came to Belize to find a safe home for his family away from the corruption and malicious false prosecutions of an unstable government. He came to Belize to raise his family, including his Belize born son. Once again, Mr. Mello is being dragged into yet another court to answer to these false charges and accusations.
We are confident that once the Belizean courts have a chance to ascertain all the evidence in this matter including the decisions of other foreign courts, Belize will welcome Mr. Mello as an asset to its societal fabric and find him to be a man falsely persecuted. We ask that the media and citizens of Belize give Mr. Mello and his family an honest unbiased ear as you would want the same for you and your family.
