Mira Says He Dropped August Complaint Before DPP Acted

Oscar Mira says he had already moved to end the criminal complaint against Alberto August before the DPP stepped in. According to Mira, he filed a further police statement last Friday asking that the charges be dropped, then met with family and close advisers who agreed that walking away from the matter served everyone’s best interest. But the timing raises a sharper question: did Mira choose reconciliation, or did he see a case that was unlikely to hold?

 

Oscar Mira, Area Representative, Belmopan

“I think we can always reflect on whatever has happened in the past. We are humans and we can always reflect on what we could have done better. But, before the DPP sent out whatever she sent, I had met with my family and closest associates and while I do believe it was inappropriate and could have found better timing, you don’t try to gain political points at a time when you have a whole city grieving and try to put words I did not say. You don’t do that. I did not say those words. So reflecting back last week Friday I decided to do a final statement. That statement was given last weekend. So, even before the DPP came and said I am directing the charges be dropped, I had already made a further statement saying that after reflection I believe it is in the best interest of everyone not to continue with that case.”

 

Paul Lopez

“So now you think it could have been done better?”

 

Oscar Mira

“There is always room for improvement. Everything we do, even things we do while we believe we can do better. So yes there is room for improvement. When you look back at what has happened you can always find room of how you can do better.”

 

Cyberbullying Case Sparks Push to Rewrite the Law

 

The fallout from the criminal cyberbullying case brought against Alberto August has now prompted government to reconsider the law itself. Prime Minister John Briceño revealed today that Attorney General Anthony Sylvestre believes portions of the cybercrime legislation may be unconstitutional and says amendments could be brought to the House at its next sitting. While defending the independence of the police and the Director of Public Prosecutions, Briceño stressed that politicians should avoid creating the perception that the state is being used to pursue political critics.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“It’s a cyberbullying law that was passed by the previous government and it provides for the action that’s been taking place. I asked the Attorney General to take a look at it and he thinks that it is unconstitutional. So quite likely hopefully at the next house meeting we’ll have to make some amendments to that. So let’s start with that. Secondly I did ask the minister to have it, have the DPP to take a look at it to see if there’s a case or not. She decided that there’s not a case. Thirdly, I’d like to make it very clear that we need to be careful as politicians that I don’t think that the public have a problem if a politician were to sue anybody because they believe that they have been aggrieved or they’ve been slandered. But I think the public has a – would have a problem when they would feel that the minister is using the state to go after its enemies. Now, I’m not in any way suggesting that’s what Honorable Mira was doing. I don’t think he was doing that. I think the police really felt that there was a case. But I just feel strongly that we should not go down that road because once you go down that road, then others then can then take abuse of it and we should not allow that.”

 

Interim Home Affairs Minister Julius Espat says he directed police to forward the cyberbullying case against Alberto August to the DPP for review. Many welcomed the move after the DPP dismissed the case, but critics argue it marks another example of ministerial interference.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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