Acting Compol Defends Handling of Budna Abduction Investigation

Acting Commissioner of Police Bart Jones has pushed back against criticism surrounding the investigation into the ‘alleged’ abduction of Joseph Budna, amid accusations that senior police officers could be implicated in the case.

Jones defended the decision to have Assistant Commissioner of Police Suzette Anderson lead the investigation instead of recommending an independent inquiry. “From the police department, we can only instruct police officers. We can’t instruct independent persons to conduct investigations,” Jones explained. He noted that it is not unusual for police officers to investigate and charge fellow officers when misconduct is alleged.

“There are many times that police officers go beyond the law and police officers investigate and charge. There are police officers before the courts right now who were charged by police officers. In unfortunate circumstances where persons have died in custody, police officers have been held liable and arrested by police officers,” Jones said.

Jones expressed confidence in Anderson’s leadership. “Assistant Commissioner Anderson is a seasoned police officer, a seasoned investigator, and even from the media you would’ve heard that she has an impeccable reputation. There’s no need for us to be watching every step of her in terms of the investigation,” he said.

Questions have swirled on social media about the credibility of the investigation, with some alleging that evidence, including video footage of the alleged kidnapping, may have been deleted. Jones dismissed speculation but pledged transparency. “No stones will be left unturned, and so we will see where it lies,” he said.

When asked about accusations reaching as high as the Commissioner of Police, Jones declined to engage. “There are allegations running all around,” he said, adding that some of the circulating claims had already proven to be false.

Budna has filed a major lawsuit in Belize’s Senior Courts, naming Attorney General Anthony Sylvestre, Home Affairs Minister Kareem Musa, Police Commissioner Dr. Richard Rosado, and eight police officers. The 74-page claim was lodged on September 16 by attorneys Arthur Saldivar, Michelle Trapp, and Emmertice Anderson. Budna, currently imprisoned in Guatemala, alleges he was abducted in Belize, beaten, and unlawfully handed over to Guatemalan authorities. The suit accuses officials of unlawful arrest, torture, and forced expulsion, raising serious questions about government accountability and law enforcement practices.