Indian Creek Chairman Speaks Exclusively to News 5

The first alcalde of Indian Creek Village is safe but receiving medical treatment after telling police he was abducted by two men, tied up and held overnight before being released on the outskirts of the village in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

His disappearance triggered a “riot” that left two homes damaged and two community leaders briefly jailed, deepening an already dangerous rift in a village long divided over land and leadership.

“My house was surrounded by a group of people, residents of Indian Creek, who vandalised, stoned with rocks, armed with machetes and slingshots and broke into my residence,” Village Chairman Domingo Choc said.

The crowd then moved to the home of Deputy Alcalde Manuel Ack, shouting threats as they arrived. “They took to my road and went to my house, calling my name and saying, ‘Where is the deputy alcalde?'” Ack recounted. “The first alcalde has been killed, and this alcalde is going to be dead now.”

Ack said the group threw sticks and stones at his home and destroyed cacao beans his wife had been preparing for sale. He said he wanted to go out and defend his family, but a neighbour warned him to stay put.

“I left my wife at home with seven kids, small kids”, he said.

Police identified Choc, Ack and three other men as suspects in Canti’s disappearance and detained them for questioning. Both men claim they were treated as criminals despite having nothing to do with the alcalde’s abduction.

Full story on News 5 Live at 6 p.m.