The “Ants Nest” That Minister Mira Stirred

Nearly a month after police seized his mobile phones during a search of his residence in Santa Elena, former UDP chairman Alberto August says he is still waiting for their return and is questioning why authorities are holding devices he insists contain nothing criminal.

August says officers arrived at his home on May 30 with a High Court search warrant authorising the seizure of electronic devices. The search took an unexpected turn when police discovered a firearm on the premises and August was temporarily unable to produce the licence for it. He says that shifted the focus of the visit, and officers left with his two phones and the firearm while leaving other electronic devices behind.

His attorney, Michael Peyrefitte, has since written to the Director of Public Prosecutions requesting the return of the phones. August says he is still waiting.

He argues the seizure is unnecessary considering he has never denied making the Facebook post that triggered the entire chain of events. “I told them yes, that I made the post and I will stand by that,” August said.

He says the prolonged retention of his devices is hurting his business. Contracts, payment systems, and receipts are all stored on the phones, and he says every day they remain in police custody costs him.

August also raised concerns that authorities may be seeking assistance from the US Embassy to access the devices, pointing to a recent case in which police said they required American technical support to unlock a device in another investigation. August said that possibility raises serious constitutional concerns.

“There is absolutely nothing of a criminal nature in my phone. If the police or the US Embassy can show me even an iota of evidence that I have been in communication with a cartel, a drug trafficker, a plane lander, human trafficking, kidnapping…then I will freely open the phone for them to examine it,” he said.

August also suggested that if police had properly investigated the complaint before acting on it, Mira would not now find himself sidelined from Cabinet pending an audit.

“The honorable minister stirred an ants nest,” he said.

He called the revelations a “blessing in disguise” for Belizeans and issued a direct appeal to those conducting the audit to pursue the truth regardless of political consequences.