Zane DeSilva expressed mixed emotions after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) dropped money laundering charges connected to the alleged procurement by deception of nearly $800,000 by Anthony Blakey’s Savvy Entertainment from Government in 2018.
The funding was designed as a loan to set up a recording studio in Dockyard, however Blakey failed to make payments as per the agreement, precipitating a manhunt for the would be music mogul, with the goal of having him extradited to Bermuda to face trial over his default on $778,204 due as repayment.
During a media conference outside of the Supreme Court today the Progressive Labour Party MP for Southampton East was at once relieved, disappointed and angry at having had to experience various trials and tribulations as a result of his being prosecuted by the courts
MP Zane DeSilva expressed he was extremely happy to be able to rest easy and move on with his life.
“I’m glad it’s over Trevor,” he said. “We should have never been here. It never should have happened.”
DeSilva explained how his only involvement in the matter was as a third party lender of $200,000 to a personal friend, who invested the funds with Blakey, only to to be ‘ghosted’ by the businessman.
“You will know that I lent a good friend of mine some money a couple years ago, which he invested with this Blakey guy, who was supposed to repay my friend, he didn’t.
“He asked me to chase down this Blakey guy. I did. He paid half of that sum and that sum has been given back.
“Because we know or are fairly confident that the monies that Blakey conned, not only the Government, but apparently many other people in Bermuda.
“So he paid part of the debt back from those funds, but I don’t want those funds.”
The 63-year-old former Cabinet Minister admonished the Butterfield Bank for its apparent refusal to adhere to the principles of due process, by forcing the closures and cancellations of his bank accounts and credit cards without the establishment of guilt.
“My family and I have been through turmoil the last few years and the banks have not been helpful,” said DeSilva. “Let me clarify, the Bank of Butterfield has not been helpful.
“And that is something that must be dealt with in this country, in that, for the Bank of Butterfield to close people’s accounts, cut off credit cards needs to be dealt with quickly.
“Because no one should be deemed guilty, they should be deemed innocent until proven guilty. And the Bank of Butterfield deserves a good cut tail, to be honest.”
DeSilva noted that he was a part of the government that made the decision to act as a guarantor for the bank during the worldwide banking crisis, as Butterfield sought to raise ‘survival’ capital investment.
Asked if he was to seek reimbursement for the enormous amount of money spent on his defence, DeSilva expressed a lack of desire to engage further court proceedings in an effort to recoup, preferring to place the matter behind him.