On April 3 of 2005 Police Constable Benedicto Salam was shot and killed in his Belmopan home allegedly by his common law wife of 8 years Josefa Choc. The couple have a 5 year old daughter and after Choc was charged, the child, with a dead father and a mother in jail, was taken over by Salam's family. But there is a problem with that arrangement now because, from prison, Choc has requested that the child be removed from the care of Salam's family and placed elsewhere.
Ordinarily it would be a matter for the Social Services Department to deal with. However today the Prison Department got involved. Potasia Chem who took the child to the prison to visit her mother came to us in desperation because acting on Choc's wishes, the Prison Department, without warning, took the child from her care and Chem says they don't know what will happen to the child now.
Potasio Chem,
"Mr. Skeen asked me where the child goes to school and I told him San Louis in San Antonio Toledo. So after a while he told me I won't leave with Tanya again because she will stay with them behind the prison. He told Josefa to take the child into the room and Josefa grabbed the little girl and took her into the room. After that I didn't get to say goodbye to Tanya. They told me, they told the security guard who was inside the house, to escort me. The security lady escorted me to the gate, the entrance, until I went into a taxi and that was it.
I told him when I left there that this is not right. He said it is right because she is the legal mother. I know she is the legal mother but by right, the case hasn't come up yet from my nephew. He said it doesn't matter because the DPP could have the case and throw away the case and Josefa could walk out tomorrow and raise her daughter. That is what he told me.
I want Tanya back with her godmother where she is being loved and taken care of. That is all I want. I want her to come back home.
I am surprised, it is like a trap. They trapped me. I walked into a trap. He has no right to do this. I am here to say to the nation that it could happen...if it could happen to us, it could happen to somebody else."
Alfonso Noble,
But so the child is happy where she is?
Potasio Chem,
"With my sister yes but right now she is struggling, fighting, she wants to come home. She was crying when I left."
This evening we spoke to Prison CEO Marlon Skeen who confirmed the incident to us. He however says he was acting on behalf of Choc who requested that the child not be with Salam's family. The Human Services Department has now been factored into the matter and they have taken custody of the child. She will remain in their custody until the entire matter is sorted out.
