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This morning before 8:00 – the Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryl Lynn Branker- Taitt delivered her written instructions on the investigation into City Council under-depositing to the Head of National CIB, Assistant Commissioner of Police Mike Segura at headquarters in Belmopan. Those directives tell police who should be charged, with what and based on what evidence. Speaking with the DPP today she would only confirm that the instructions have been handed over but strictly refused to discuss the particulars.

But 7News has sources and tonight we can confirm that the instructions are that Police should charge three persons – including Mayor of Belize City, Zenaida Moya. Moya and two other council employees will be charged with failure to comply with City Council regulations and one other count which was not specified to us. Failure to comply with city council regulations is a criminal offence and carries a penalty of 1 year in jail or fine of a thousand dollars.

Again, she and two others will also face another criminal charge – which has not been specified to us. When will the charges be laid? According to ACP Segura it will be done very soon – before the end of this week. Segura would not comment specifically on whether the persons will be arrested or if – as has been the process with other high profile arrests – they will simply be asked to appear at the police station to answer to a charge. Segura would only say that he will take them before the court.

So that’s going to happen later this week – and we’ll keep watching this very major development. Major because the mayor to our knowledge will become the first elected official to be charged criminally while in office – and also because she is the mother of a 17 day old son. The implications are massive – both politically and within the council – but at this time – it’s too early to tell exactly what’s going to happen.