Attorney Bradley Flags System Failures in Budna Investigation

Attorney Richard “Dickie” Bradley raised concerns about the independent investigation into Joseph Budna’s abduction during an appearance on Open Your Eyes today.

Bradley once more pointed out the importance of transparency and accountability. Bradley said the case is complicated because police officers are the suspected kidnappers. “An independent investigation can’t be done by the police because they are one of the suspects in the matter,” he said.

Budna was kidnapped in August, beaten and handed over to Guatemalan authorities, with claims of police involvement.

The investigation into the Bunda case has dragged for weeks, with the latest report recommending an independent investigation.

Bradley suggested the probe should involve officials outside the system, including retired judges or international agencies, to prevent influence or cover-ups.

He also pointed to gaps in the legal system and public service. He said the absence of whistleblower protections and limited guidance from the Bar Association are contributing to the system’s failure.

“Persons who know and who have seen or taken pictures of whatever evidence there is would not feel in any way intimidated because they will get a reward, and they cannot be fired or dismissed or demoted. The law will protect them. We don’t have a whistleblower law, even in the face of something like this,” he said as he referred to Budna’s case.

“The lawyers are no help. The Bar Association – they are stitched up. So the lawyers are offering no guidance to the society in terms of what the law is,” he added. “So we only have you guys [the media]… We need you all; we need the journalists in this country.”

But what can the criminal accountability look like for anyone found guilty of partaking in a kidnapping case like Budna’s? According to Bradley, “Kidnapping under the criminal code of this country is: you can’t get less than 10 years, and you can get life imprisonment. So it’s anywhere from 10 to life.”

Meanwhile, details of the independent investigation remain unclear.