After 15 hours in police detention, Alfonso and Fortunato Noble were released at 3:30 this afternoon. The brothers, who are former Channel 7 employees and now do freelance video production mostly for the UDP, were detained around midnight on the accusation that they had stoned the Prime Minister's home. To anyone who knows the brothers, the allegation seems preposterous, even laughable, but it was serious enough for the brothers to be arrested at gunpoint at 12:30 this morning, and held by police for the next 15 hours.
We spoke to them when they were finally released at 3:30 after the intervention of their attorney B.Q. Pitts who called their detention illegal. Neither of the brothers was charged for any criminal offense. We also spoke to Police Press Officer G. Michael Reid who said that Noble brothers fit the description of two suspects.
Fortunato Noble, Detained for 15 Hours
"Around 12:30 three police officers pulled up on us. We were going about our lawful business and they escorted us to the police station. We were detained there for almost 14 hours now. We are just being released without any charges. What we learnt later is that they are accusing us of throwing a missile at the Prime Minister's residence which we know nothing about. This is completely unlawful and unacceptable."
G. Michael Reid, Police Press Officer
"The situation is in no way a target against the media. There were two individuals who were seen in an area who fit the description of individuals seen leaving the area whereas some bottles were broken on the street. We don't know that these bottles were targeted at anything or that they were just maybe conducting themselves in a lawless order."
Keith Swift,
Come on G. Mike, anyone who knows Alfonso and Fortunato knows that they wouldn't do something like that.
G. Michael Reid,
"The fact is that they fit the description of individuals who were in the area. They were seen in the area by individuals and you are right, people know them, so there is no mistake if you see them. I think it is unfair because you can't really swear for anybody and say this person did that or would do this and such and such a thing. The fact is that anybody is capable of anything and the reason that they were being questioned is that the police believe that they might have been involved someway in the breaking of bottles. Whether the bottles were directed at the Prime Minister's residence is still not clear."
Keith Swift,
Alfonso were you guys anywhere near the Prime Minister's house?
Alfonso Noble, Detained for 15 Hours
"Why would we be there Mr. Keith Swift? We are law abiding citizens. Why would we even be near there"
Keith Swift,
G. Michael Reid told me that you guys fit the description of two men who were in the area last night.
Alfonso Noble,
"G. Michael Reid can say whatever he so chooses, that's his choice, his opinion. He does not know anything about the case. We know better. We know we did nothing wrong and we will maintain that."
Fortunato Noble,
"We fit the description of at least thirty thousand people in Belize City."
Keith Swift,
Do you think you were targeted?
Alfonso Noble,
"I'd rather not comment on that."
B.Q. Pitts, Attorney for Noble Brothers
"The upshot of it is that the arbitrary and illegal arrest was brought to an end just about five minutes ago. They are back in freedom and I hope they remain free and not arbitrarily interfered with in terms of their free movement."
We again stress that neither of brothers was charged for any criminal offense. The Noble brothers say they are considering their legal options.
As for the so called stoning of the Prime Minister's house, from what we were able to find out is that a pint was thrown on the street in front of his house, more an act of littering than rebellion. But some police officer, jumping at shadows, sent out an APB and the rest is history. According to our information, nothing was thrown into the Prime Minister's yard, the pint only made it to the sidewalk.
