On Friday night on 7News, you saw the extraordinary interview given by Arthur Saldivar where he withdrew all threats of running independently, told his supporters to stand down and fall in with the party, and lamented the fact that Melonie Coye, was actually suing him. But, she is, very much so. Her attorney Eamon Courtney filed the lawsuit on Thursday September 18th. 7News has obtained a copy of the statement of claim, and we looked at what it says tonight, and Saldivar's response from Friday:..
Jules Vasquez reporting
The claim form filed in court says the claim is for nine hundred and four thousand, seven hundred and forty dollars. The statement of claim narrates the events as they occurred: that Saldivar accompanied Coye to the Central to collect 1.676 million Belize dollars and two thousand US dollars.
Counting started at 1:30 pm with Coye and Saldivar sitting at separate tables along with officials of the Central Bank and the FIU. It took 7 hours to count and they finished at 8:32 pm.
As detailed in this breakdown provided by the Central Bank - and signed by Coye. The cash was stuffed into two suitcases and the claim asserts that Saldivar carried the bigger one, with nine hundred and four thousand dollars. Coye says she informed him that the monies would be taken to her residence.
But the claim says that once Saldivar exited the building, he refused to return the suitcase with cash to her. It says he took the suitcase and drove away. All of it is signed and sworn by Melonie Coye, a fact which left Arthur Saldivar crestfallen and wounded.
Arthur Saldivar, Former Melonie Coye Attorney
(Shakes head, breathes) "I look forward Jules to clearing my name. I repeat that. I believed that ultimately truth would prevail, good sense and conscience in truth would prevent this from going to this extent."
Jules Vasquez
"You are emotional, you have a heavy heart. Why is that?"
Arthur Saldivar, Former PUP Std. Bearer - BRN
"I've been known to have a big heart and....."
Jules Vasquez
"But I don't know you as a fragile guy. You and I have been through a lot. I've confronted you on many issues and you always taken it smilingly, but it looks like you got hit hard."
Arthur Saldivar, Former PUP Std. Bearer - BRN
"I believe in people. I believe in the decency of human beings. I believe generally that people are good and I believe in my client up until this filing. I don't know really what has caused her to abandon every aspect of good that I've shown to really reach a point where she would come to this."
Jules Vasquez
"You feel that your former client has betrayed you in a fundamental way, but it's like everybody had known this would have happen. It seems that only you thought it wouldn't."
Arthur Saldivar, Former PUP Std. Bearer - BRN
"I really didn't think that it was going to happen."
Jules Vasquez
"Really."
Arthur Saldivar, Former PUP Std. Bearer - BRN
"Yeah, I didn't. And all that we had to do to bring Melonie and her father to freedom, what's the price of freedom?"
Jules Vasquez
"$904,000?"
Arthur Saldivar, Former PUP Std. Bearer - BRN
"I don't have that. I wish I did. But I do look forward to my day in court to clear my name like my party leader wants me to."
Email
Print