7 News Belize

King Vs. Sulph In Supreme Court
posted (May 28, 2018)
Tonight, former UDP Minister Mark King is back in the news for a slander lawsuit which he's brought against the grassroots activist, Moses Sulph.

He's known for his outspoken stances against the government of the day, but Moses Sulph is being accused of going too far on Facebook when he came out swinging against Mark King and his company, Brints Security.

This security company is one of several that King owns and manages, and among the contracts Brints has right now is one to provide security for the Magistrate's Court.

In a Facebook post from a few weeks ago, Sulph accused King and Brints of taking advantage of several of his employees when he allegedly didn't pay them their promised salaries for overtime and extra hours of duty. You would think that King, who's had his fair share of high-profile controversies, would simply let that one slide.

Well, not so, he took offense to it, asserting that Sulph unfairly slandered him, and he filed a lawsuit, which will be heard by Justice Sonya Young.

Today was a case management adjournment of the case, and when he exited court, 7News spoke with him about it:

Mark King - Owner, Brints Security
"I run several group of companies within Belize, and as the CEO and owner of those companies, one of my companies has been slandered. My name has been liable, of course, and I won't take to no one damaging my name and character. I believe in big companies, mistakes are made, but those can be worked out with employees, and being that I am not in charge of the little details, I believe that my name should not have been used. So, it's not necessarily that I'm claiming that there wasn't anything wrong, or done, or so. I wouldn't know that to a fact, and those can be sorted out, but I think that I've given Moses enough time to apologize, to say look, we're sorry, and he didn't so."

Daniel Ortiz
"Sir, one would think that a pre-requisite to being a politician, especially one such as yourself, who's been elected to office, is a thick skin. So, why bring a lawsuit against a grassroots activist who's really not on your radar."

Mark King
"A grassroots activist, who allegedly is in the Opposition, PUP, a grassroots activist who has done nothing for Belize, and at the end of the day, only tortured my name so to speak, in regards to my political position. Sir, I have to protect that. When they take away your name, your image, and your character, you have nothing left. And so, he knows of that, and so, I will not allow anyone to take advantage of that. And, to anyone attacks my name on Facebook, or anywhere in the public, they will have to deal with the courts."

Reporter
"So, if he apologizes today, tomorrow, the other day, would the case be dropped?"

Mark King
"No, that time has passed. We have humbled. We have given Moses a lot of time to apologize. We have given his attorney space to make payment to us, and they have not budged. So, the case proceeds. Whether or not I am - our company, or one of my companies is guilty or not, that is not the issue here or there. The thing is we were humble enough to give him time to speak."

Reporter
"Has your company, or yourself, suffered loss because of that statement on Facebook?"

Mark King
"Any company that there is such an allegation do suffer losses, in terms of clientele, in terms of business, and at the end of the day, I ought to be corrected, if it is not so. Prior to your question, my political question again, I am the owner of that company, and the buck stops at me, even if I am not ideally responsible for the details of that company."

We also got a chance to speak with Sulph who's now in the hot-seat for his personal post on Facebook. There is a chance that he could lose this slander case, and be ordered to pay thousands of dollars to King in compensation, and so, we wondered if he'll be able to successfully defend against it. He told us that he believes he can:

Daniel Ortiz
"It appears that Mr. Mark King isn't joking. He intends to come at you with the full force of the law, and with all the resources he has available at his disposal. Do you think you will be able to justify, with evidence, the statement you made on Facebook?"

Moses Sulph - Defendant
"First of all, I'd like to say that whenever politicians, or people in authority, believe that they're going to be forgotten, they try to use things to be in the public eyes again. They cannot just leave and vanish in the abyss. However, I will say that the statement I made on Facebook are statements that were given to me by workers, who was working for Mr. King's security firm. And those statements I wrote on Facebook are statements that were given to me by people who believe that they were being taken advantage of. So, the statement I put on Facebook, I'm a grassroots activist. I am always looking out for the poorer class because they're always being taken advantage of, whether it be disgraced politicians, or whether it be current politicians. So, that is nothing new, however, I would like to say that the only drawback I have that many times people who are willing to talk, and give you information, they have slight fear in coming to court and testifying. I'll have to find a way to do - Thank God, there are people who are willing to give witness statements, and they're couple persons who are willing to come to court. Some are not willing because they say that they are afraid of losing their job."

Reporter
"You placed yourself in the forefront for these workers, of this company. You've spoken for them on your Facebook. Is it a statement you regret making today?"

Moses Sulph
"No, I don't regret writing the post I wrote on Facebook, given to me by persons. What I sort of regret I did not do was get enough - did manage to get some, but I'm sorry I did not get enough paper trail."

If there are no delays, the case will get a full hearing on September 26 and 27, where Sulph will be allowed to call witnesses who will try to convince the judge that Sulph's Facebook post was based on fact. These witnesses are all former employees of Brints Security.

King's attorney intends to call several witnesses on his behalf, to show the court that his company treats employees fairly. These include serving Brints Security employees.

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