Friday 26 November 2010

DILI DISTRICT COURT REJECTS ACCUSATION FILED AGAINST MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Tempo Semanal, Dili, 25.11.2010
East Timor foreign Minister issued a press which received by Tempo Semanal this evening said, "the President of the Panel of Judges of Dili District Court has rejected all accusations filed against the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Zacarias Albano da Costa."

“ This is a great day for the affirmation of the independence of the courts in Timor-Leste," said the Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Zacarias Albano da Costa, upon learning of the rejection of the accusation by the President of the Panel of Dili District Court dismissing the accusation as being “completely unfounded.”

"All citizens are entitled to their good name and, therefore, are also entitled to demand that the State’s judicial institutions protect the good name of the holders of political office by giving them the guarantee of the presumption of innocence and due process until proven otherwise by competent court of law, " added the Foreign Minister, Dr. Zacarias Albano da Costa.

"It saddens me to have observed that some holders of positions in the judicial and political system of this country rushed to my condemnation, including disclosing the contents of the indictment, which, as we saw in the media was without substance, rather than taking a position of responsibility in protecting the Timorese judicial system itself, "Minister da Costa added .

Referring also to the President of the Panel of Judges, Dr. João Ribeiro’s decision to reject the accusation, whose notification was delivered today, Minister Zacarias da Costa, also said "Silence was my way of showing full confidence in the Timorese judicial process, allowing the competent organs of the judiciary to act in accordance with the law, not subject to any pressure. I believe that everyone should have equal access to justice. “

The Minister concluded by saying:" I have, as I have always said, a clean conscience and this decision publicly reaffirms it. "

In the mean time acording to Tempo Semanal source in Dili district court said the the reason was a luck evidence and the court give options to the prosecution office whether to change the acusation against Mr. Zacarias Albano da Costa or to make an appeal.

The court has rejected accustions filed by East Timor prosecution not only for East Timor Foreign Minister but also rejected the accusation against a Timorese diplomat, Rogeiro dos Santos.

At the mean time there are still three accused such as East Timor Deputy PM, Jose Luis Guterres, His wife and Joao Camara.
The case case due to start on 26/11/2010 in Dili District court.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Parabens ba tribunal de Timor Leste. Imi hatudu duni imi nia imparcialidade, professionalismo e dedicasaun ba justisa. Sr. Ministro Zacarias hanessan vitima iha direito atu hetan reabilitasaun ba nia naran. Ba ema sira nebe akuza arbiru ema seluk sem baze tenki responsabiliza ba sira nia hahalok.

Lagamata

Anonymous said...

Hatutan irmao Lagamata nia lian: Sr. Ministro, diak liu tau sira iha tribunal haruka selu indimizasaun tamba akuza falsu ema. Ema sira hanessan ne'e maka ita bolu samea ulun hitu. Sira hatun ita nia dignidade, dignidade familia nian halo ita sofre psikologikamente. Ita tenki rekupera fali ita nia naran diak.