No application before the court to seize Gellizeau’s property – lawyer

Mikhail Charles, one of the lawyers for Antonio “Que Pasa” Gellizeau, has dispelled rumors that plans are afoot to take away Gellizeau’s property so that a polyclinic can be built.{{more}}

“As far as I know, there’s no application before the court to seize his property and use it as the site of anything. The stage that it is now, is that the property is under restraint, under the restraint order of number one of 2008, before his Lordship, Frederick Bruce-Lyle,” Charles explained to SEARCHLIGHT yesterday.

At least one radio station, earlier this week, carried a news item relating to Gellizeau’s property being seized.

“From my understanding of the law, the confiscation proceeding was stayed pending the result of the impending appeal. The appeal matter must be completed and the confiscation must be completed as well, under the old 2001 Act; they can’t proceed under the 2013 Act,” Charles added, stating that he has no idea where such news originated.

“The appeal is being worked on assiduously by the team. It has many layers of complexity as it is the first of its kind in the OECS,” Charles stated.

SEARCHLIGHT understands that market value for Gellizeau’s property is EC$1.6 million.

Gellizeau, who was sentenced by the High Court on July 22, 2013 to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour, is appealing that sentencing. At a sitting of the Court of Appeal on May 26, 2014, he was given leave to appeal his conviction and sentencing in the largest money laundering case recorded in the OECS.

The judges of the Court of Appeal, which included President of the Court Davidson Baptiste, Justice of Appeal Louise Blenman and Justice of Appeal (Ag) Paul Webster, also granted the applicants a stay of proceedings in relation to the confiscation hearing, pending the outcome of the appeal matter.

On March 9, 2012, at the Serious Offences Court, Gellizeau was convicted for concealing on the yacht “Jotobin” on April 5, 2008, at Calliaqua, US$1,733,463 (EC$4,628,346) and for bringing the money into St Vincent and the Grenadines on the yacht.

In June 2008, several of Gellizeau’s assets were frozen by order of the court. The assets include bank accounts, Flexible Premium Annuities with CLICO and vehicles which were registered to him, his family members and associates. Assets belonging to Gellizeau and his relatives were also frozen in Trinidad and St Lucia.

Gellizeau is also represented by senior and lead counsel, Nicole Sylvester and Patina Knights.