The case of Lionel “Cas” Castillo, 33, assistant to the Ombudsman, charged with agreement for influencing a public officer, was yesterday committed for trial in the April session of the Supreme Court by Court #2 Magistrate, Dorothy Flowers.
Castillo was released on a bail of $3,000.
It is alleged that Castillo, on June 17, 2007, under the collar of his office, offered to accept the sum of $5,000 from prison inmate Kelvin Reneau to unduly influence Crescencio Sosa, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Home Affairs, in respect to his duties as a public officer and chairman of the Parole Board, and Assistant Superintendent of Police, Alford Grinage, in respect of his duties as a public officer and representative of the Commissioner of Police, Gerald Westby, when providing information and making representation to the prison Parole Board.
The charge was read to Castillo when he appeared in court on Monday, February 4. No plea was taken from him because the Director of Public Prosecutions, Lutchman Sooknandan, had to be consulted as to whether the offence can be tried on indictment.
Castillo was also charged with extortion for allegedly obtaining $1,500 from Reneau on August 10, 2007, at Old Belize Bar and Grill at Mile 5 on the Western Highway. It was further alleged that the money was the final payment for a parole Reneau got on July 27, 2007. The police had set up a sting operation and had marked 15 $100 notes, which Reneau allegedly gave to Castillo.
But on January 23, the charge of extortion was withdrawn on instructions from the DPP. Reneau had said that he did not wish to proceed with the case.
At the preliminary investigation yesterday to determine if there was prima facie evidence to send the case to the Supreme Court, Castillo’s attorney, Dickie Bradley, submitted that his client did not have a case to answer. Bradley said that there was not enough evidence to support the charge and that the offence was a misdemeanor, which can only be tried summarily. He also submitted that the transcripts of telephone conversations that were in the disclosure were not authenticated, and were not evidence the court could rely on.
But Sergeant Frank Augustine, who represented the prosecution, rebutted Bradley’s submissions and said that there was sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case.
Magistrate Flowers concurred with the prosecution’s submission and sent the case up to the Supreme Court for trial.