Godwin Hulse Sues Francis Fonseca for Defamation; Trial Coming in January

Francis Fonseca

The Supreme Court will hear a case brought on behalf of Senator and Government Minister Godwin Hulse in the New Year against former leader of the People’s United Party Francis Fonseca. Back in 2013, Fonseca, as P.U.P. leader, made certain comments about the Won Hong Kim immigration scandal that Hulse considered offensive and defamatory of him as Minister of Immigration and Nationality. He filed suit and today the case reached pre-trial review stage before Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin. The two sides had gone to mediation previously but were unable to work out their differences. Both Minister Hulse and Kareem Musa, attorney for Fonseca, put forward their cases to the press after the meeting with the Chief Justice.

Godwin Hulse

Godwin Hulse, Suing for Defamation

“This is the case that I brought against the Honorable Francis Fonseca for character defamation.”

Reporter

“What statement did he make?”

Godwin Hulse

“I don’t want to repeat the statement, because…but it was in relation at the time, to the Penner passport issues.”

Reporter

“And there’s no way that you could settle this matter out of court? You have to litigate?”

Godwin Hulse

“Well, we had gone to mediation, and we did not succeed, so we’re going to court.”

Kareem Musa

Kareem Musa, Attorney for Francis Fonseca

“On a cursory view of the claim, the Honorable Godwin Hulse is complaining that the Honorable Francis Fonseca uttered comments that offended him, and he wants to clear his name, so to speak. We personally believe in our defense – it is a two-pronged defense; we have set out justification, and fair comment on a matter of public interest.  As you know, the Honorable Godwin Hulse is a public figure – as a matter of fact, I believe this is the fourth Ministry he has been in charge of; he started out at the Ministry of Immigration. And the particular comments that were made were in relation to the Kim Won Hong fiasco, which, as we now know, everybody in Government was responsible for that fiasco, because the Prime Minister knew that Mister Penner, prior to the 2012 elections, was issuing nationality [certificates] to people who did not qualify. And so to have then authorized someone like Elvin Penner to be a Minister of State, and then to give him the power to sign passports – to me, everybody in that Cabinet, everybody in that Government, should be held responsible. And so the comments made by the Honorable Francis Fonseca in 2013 – you know – some of the words were true; and the rest of the words were fair comment on a matter of public interest.”

Hulse was represented by Yohhanseh Cave of Young’s Law Firm, who replaced deceased Senior Counsel Michael Young. The case will be heard on January twelfth, 2017.