Musa Calls for Surveillance Video Release, Independent Probe

And here’s where things get even more interesting. Remember those audio recordings from Joseph Budna? In one of them, he claims his kidnappers called someone named ‘Kareem.’ So, we put the question directly to Minister Kareem Musa, was it him? His response? He says he’s insulted by the suggestion. But that’s not all, Musa isn’t just backing an independent investigation; he’s also pushing for the release of high-quality surveillance footage so the public can see exactly what happened.

 

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs

“Paul, I don’t know how long you’ve been in media, but I’m sure Marisol has been in the media a little longer, and so she knows me. She knows that I invested my entire time and energy to become an attorney at law. It took me five years, it might seem like a little bit of time. I practiced law in this country for seventeen years. I find it a little insulting that you think, for one moment that I am the person he’s talking about. I find that insulting Paul because one, I don’t know, but now he has not offended or violated or molested any of my family members. So I have no grievance against him. He has not had any run in with me per se. I don’t know if in his lives he mentions me. I don’t know. I’ve never heard of it. But why would I, as an attorney at law, as a politician with my entire future ahead of me, risk my future for Joseph Ryan Budna. Ask yourself that question. Why would I get involved in something like that? You’re talking about four individuals picking him up. You’re saying that me talk to one a deh and orchestrate something like this, man you to call me and kidnapper. I take insult to it, but at the same time, I know you have to ask the questions. You have to do your job.”

 

Paul Lopez

“ What if the investigation finds that police officers are implicated in this incident?”

 

Kareem Musa

“Well, the heads off the rule. Paul absolutely heads off the rule, and I think the commissioner police said that to let the chips fall where they may.  And so while the investigation is going on, you’re in the media, you know how things work, videos are leaked, information is leaked.  It won’t, in my opinion, ruin the integrity of the investigation to have these footage leaks. So, by all means, release the footage, high resolution recording as well.”

Reporter

“So why has it not happened as yet?”

 

Kareem Musa

“Because there is the integrity process. So, at this point there’s already a release of the footage and so you could assume that if there anything is going to be done to that footage enhancement or tampering with it, it’s already out there. So might as well release the original one.”