In the lower courts this afternoon, attorney Andrew Bennett appeared once again before Chief Magistrate Sharon Frazier, where he continues to face extradition to the United States for his purported role in a money laundering operation. Bennett is represented by fellow attorneys Anthony Sylvestre and Iliana Swift. During today’s proceedings, concerns were raised about electronic communication that was gathered from a series of WhatsApp exchanges with Bennett. Following the session, attorney Richard ‘Dickie’ Bradley explained to the media what transpired during the hearing and why the matter will proceed to the Supreme Court.
Richard 'Dickie' Bradley
Richard ‘Dickie’ Bradley, Attorney-at-law
“On behalf of Andrew Bennett who is being sought by the United States of America, his legal team made a submission to the Chief Magistrate who is the only magistrate under extradition law that can hear applications of extradition and the legal team, Iliana Swift and Anthony Sylvestre, are submitted under the Constitution of Belize any court case in front of any magistrate, if it involves a matter of the constitution, the lawyers are required to ask that magistrate, in this case the Chief Magistrate to stay, put a hole, suspend the hearing of the extradition proceedings and send up what in law is called a case stated. She will state a case to the Supreme Court saying that on behalf of Andrew Bennett, the lawyers are submitting that an issue which has to do with the constitutional rights of Mr. Bennett are involved and that should be cleared up before the continuation of any extradition proceedings. The Constitution of Belize says that any person whose rights, all the fundamental rights and freedom, your rights and freedom, your right to protect your correspondence, your privacy, your freedom and so on, any of the fundamental rights, if they are being affected, whether they have been affected, whether they are being violated or breached or whether they are likely to be violated or breached, a person in that situation has a right to go to the Supreme Court to say to the court, my right or my rights are being violated and therefore I want a remedy. That is what the Chief Magistrate will send up to the Supreme Court that Andrew Bennett‘s lawyers are saying his constitutional rights are being violated based on information that is sought to be used in the request extradite him to the United States of America.”