Belize City, Belize 1 October (Belizean.com) United Democratic Party Belize City Mayor Zenaida Moya Flowers and three members of her financial team were this morning taken to court to face 22 obscure charges of "uttering false documents" in connection with the alleged disappearance of funds from City Hall.

Charged along with the Mayor were City Administrator Dr. Kiran Vanjani, Finance Director Dwain Davis and his Assistant Director Kiran Bhudrani. An additional two charges of "not complying with City Council regulations" were held in abeyance until later today following submissions by the Mayor's defense team that these latter charges were invalid.

This is the first time in Belize's history that a sitting mayor has been criminally charged and the development has caused a wave of discontent and debate in this tiny former British colony – especially since the charges are being pursued by the Mayor's own party – the United Democratic Party of Prime Minister Dean Barrow. The U.D.P. currently controls both the national government as well as all local governments – the largest being Belize City – Belize's commercial capital.

Strangely there have been no charges of theft, misappropriation or dishonesty levied against the Mayor.

Speaking to the media after her arraignment in Court No. 1 of Magistrate Margaret McKenzie this morning, Mayor Moya Flowers made lashed out at the U.D.P. Central Government of Prime Minister Dean Barrow. Mayor. Moya Flowers claimed that a faction within her party is bent on persecuting her and that "Everyone knows I have no cozy relationship with the P.M. I am no puppet and nobody's little girl," she stated  The Mayor stated that justice will prevail in the end over what she described as "trumped up malicious charges."

According to attorney Michael Peyrefitte, the government wants to try the case as an indictable matter which means it could end up in the Supreme Court.  

Update: Mayor Moya Flowers was this afternoon charged with two additional counts of "failure to follow City Council Regulations." Her legal team has decided to challenge these charges in the upcoming Supreme Court trial.