Budna’s Mother Speaks Out Six Days After He Was Abducted

It’s been five days since Joseph Budna vanished from Orange Walk, only to be handed over to Guatemalan authorities after being abducted by a group of men on Friday night. Tonight, we hear from his mother, Katherine Williams, who shared what she’s learned through emotional phone calls with her son. News Five also returned to the scene of his disappearance and spoke with an Orange Walk Area Representative about growing concerns over citizen security. Paul Lopez has the full report.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

“This is the location where Joseph Budna was doing his Facebook Live broadcast on Friday night, in front of Sandy Hunter Library in Orange Walk, before his abduction.”

In a series of audio recordings from Melchor, Budna recounts the terrifying moments after his abduction. He says his first instinct was to run, heading straight for the Banquitas House of Culture, hoping to find safety. When that didn’t work, he made a dash for the nearby Orange Walk Police Station. But before he could get help, his captors caught up with him. Now, here’s something interesting: when News Five visited the area where Budna was taken, we spotted three surveillance cameras that could hold crucial clues. One is mounted above the National Bank of Belize ATM, aimed directly at the entrance. Another is positioned at the library’s doorway. But the camera that might give investigators the clearest view of what happened is right in front of the Banquitas House of Culture, exactly where Budna first tried to escape.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

“Budna asserts that he saw several men exit the police compound and headed toward his direction. His claim is that police was involved in his abduction and transportation to Arenal.”

 

Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police

“Let me be unequivocally clear, police department was not involved in the apprehension or alleged extradition of Mr. Budna.”

 

Tonight, Budna’s mother, Katherine Williams, is speaking out about what she believes happened to her son on that Friday night. It’s now been six days since Budna was taken from Orange Walk. But on Monday night, his mother finally heard from him, he managed to call her from Guatemala.

 

Katherine Williams, Mother of Joseph Budna

“He told me that he was doing a live by the police station in Orange Walk and after he finished the live, he went there to be protected because the police were there and instead of being protected, they do what they wanted to do, they wanted him. He said they shub him in the vehicle, tape his eyes, mouth and threw him in the vehicle. He said some people was there that tried to help him but nobody could help him. He said when they took the tape off his eye he was in Arenal.”

 

News Five visited Arenal Village on Tuesday. Arenal is no ordinary village, it’s a bi-national community split between Belize and Guatemala. The borderline actually cuts right across the football field. On the Guatemalan side, a new concrete bridge has just been built, adding to the evolving landscape of this unique border village. This bridge has made crossing over the Mopan River into Melchor by vehicle possible. News Five also observed a tightly secured police checkpoint at the entrance of the community.

 

Katherine Williams

“He don’t get to eat, they don’t give him water, nothing and he is punishing and he is in a lot of pain. They took him to the hospital in Melchor.”

 

And, while the Belize Police Department has distanced itself from any involvement in the incident, Budna’s mother is not convinced that authorities are telling the whole truth.

 

Katherine Williams

“Well that is all you hear on the news is that they investigate, investigate, investigate, investigate what they have already done, they are investigating themselves?”

 

Earlier today, we caught up with Orange Walk East Area Representative Kevin Bernard to get his take on the troubling security concerns raised by Budna’s abduction. We asked him what this incident says about citizen safety in the area and what’s being done to address it.

 

Kevin Bernard, Area Rep., Orange Walk East

“I will not comment on that matter.”

 

Paul Lopez

“But sir this is a matter of public security concern for your residents.”

 

Kevin Bernard

“I refuse to refuse to respond to that issue, I think you should direct your questions to the police.”

 

Paul Lopez

“Are you confident in the police’s handling of this matter?”

 

Kevin Bernard

“Let the police answer that question.”

 

Budna’s SUV remains parked inside the Orange Walk Police Station compound, while he is in the custody of Guatemalan police. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.