| He's earned a reputation as a conman and has 8 charges before the court but 32 year old Melbourne Wade says he's changed, or at least, changing.
Four of the eight charges by persons who claimed he scammed them have been withdrawn. Those are now being worked out through civil channels.
Wade was accused of taking money from persons for vehicles as a downpayment and then not delivering the vehicles.
He appeared in 2 separate courts today, where a total of 3 victims requested no further court action against him. He still has four more pending cases, but he had the bounce of a man who had escaped "Scott free". The man who had been previously remanded for these crimes of dishonesty spoke to our court reporter outside Magistrate's:
Melbourne Wade, Faces Scamming Charges
"I was spending my last time in jail laying back thinking about things that people have accused me of wrongfully doing. It was not really scamming or thiefing people, it was just bad business going wrong, right?"
"And I am willing to own up to every responsibility. Like I said, four cases has been withdrawn against me and people are going the civil suit matter way, you know, it's not the problem by paying back people their money, bad business or fix what has gone wrong. But I have a changed life. I have a family out there that I need to be out there for. I'm willing to tell people that, you know, the Melbourne Wade that you know then is not the Melbourne Wade now. I'm a changed person. I'm willing to work with you."
"The people that understands me, they are here today, they are here, they withdraw some cases against me and I'm proud of myself. I am not perfect and nobody in this world is perfect, but people deserve a second chance in life."
Reporter
"So I want to ask you about the case with the former mayor of Belize City Zenaida Moya, that's one of the cases that's still before the court. What do you think and how do you think that will play out?"
Melbourne Wade, Faces Scamming Charges
"Well, I am not going to go in details with that, but the former mayor is like a mother to me. Nuff respect to her. I mean we have our difficulties, we have done wrong, she have done wrong. I mean she knows that I am a perfect person in her eyes. She thought that I have theif her some cash or some money and I have fully proved that I know what I have done is against me, but I am not wrong. But I am not wrong, I have never done wrong with Miss Moya, but saving her a couple times."
"But I don't know why she be afraid that I will reveal, but I am not going to go to details like I said, but Miss Moya is like a mother and I willing to work with her same way and not have anything against Miss Moya."
"She's not willing to drop her case as yet, but I think it will be coming around soon."
We did reach out to former Mayor Zenaida Moya who told us, quote, "The case is in front of the court with all evidence necessary to prove Mr. Melbourne Wade's guilt."
We asked if she would be dropping charges as he suggested and she said, quote, "I have no contact with Mr. Wade. So, the court case will proceed."
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