Last night when 7News broke the story that a Police Constable is the one who allegedly set up a hit on Hui Lin Chen, it seemed like a plot out of some mafia movie...but this is real life, and today, Police charged the cop who they say pushed the buttons that triggered Kevin Cowboy Alvarez to carry out the hit. But he’s not the one who called the shots, who set the chain of events in motion, and sponsored the execution. That Chinese businessman – prominent in Belmopan – has been sent home by police – his reward for cooperating; the contractor who snitched on his contract killers – and earned a “get of of jail free” pass for it. Jacqueline Godwin went back to Belmopan today to fill in the many blanks in this story.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
This morning, Police Constable 127 Manuel Hill formerly attached to the Anti-Drug Unit was handcuffed and escorted over to the Belmopan Magistrate’s Court where he was charged for the abetment of murder in the case of Hui Lin Chen.
Sr. Supt James Magdaleno, Head - Crimes Investigation Branch
“That was the directives given by the Director of Public Prosecution. Every step of the way we have been consulting with her and those were directives thus far, only to charge for abetment to murder.”
The charge against the twelve year old veteran cop comes after police investigators say he was involved in arranging the hit on a Chinese man who resides at the Mai’s three storey building in Orange Walk Town. The accused killer Kevin Alvarez better known as Cowboy allegedly murdered the wrong man, thirty seven year old Chinese employee Hui Lin Chen who also lived at the residence. Through a spokesperson, who did not wish to appear on camera told us the Hill family is outraged and that he is innocent. In fact the family says it was Manuel Hill who assisted the police in the investigation based on certain information he provided to them.
Voice of Family Spokesperson,
“Because Manuel thought that he was only giving information that help the Police Department in bringing closure to this hideous crime.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
So how that information, the family believes the police took it and used it against him?
Voice of Family Spokesperson,
“The information is misconstrued. They are just using what he said to his disadvantage and again we are shocked. Anybody who knows Manuel Hill can attest to him being an upright citizen, a clean police officer. So at the end of the day, we will fight to get to the actual end of this hideous situation.”
We couldn’t determine exactly what information PC Hill provided or if he was handed any money. But contrary to what Police Commissioner Gerald Westby said in his interview with us yesterday that PC Manuel Hill had been given money to carry out the hit, today the Head of Crimes Investigation Branch Sr. Supt. James Magdaleno could not confirm that.
Sr. Supt James Magdaleno,
“During the investigation, it revealed that some money was passed
at some point in time. I guess to Alvarez that has already been charged.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
So at no time PC Manuel Hill received money from this Chinese businessman?
Sr. Supt James Magdaleno,
“I do not know about that. If it does happen, maybe somebody else got that but I am not aware that he received any money from any businessman.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
All you know is that Kevin Alvarez better known as Cowboy did receive some money?
Sr. Supt James Magdaleno,
“Yes that is what I know from the interview that I did with this businessman here in Belmopan.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
And it was this businessman who paid Cowboy?
Sr. Supt James Magdaleno,
“I can only say I think so.”
Police Constable Manuel Hill is being defended by Richard Dickie Bradley who is also the attorney for Kevin Alvarez better known as Cowboy who on Friday was charged for the murder of Hui Lin Chen and the attempted murder of police officers.
According to Bradley, his client is not only innocent of the charge levied against him but was indeed asked to assist the police in their investigation. The Chinese businessman who allegedly ordered the hit was released from detention on the same day.
Richard Dickie Bradley, Attorney for PC Manuel Hill
“The family contacted me yesterday and asked if I would represent them in the matter because they understand that the police would bring charges against Manuel Hill, much to their surprise and much to his shock.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Why?
Richard Dickie Bradley,
“Because the information that I have is that on Saturday evening after
doing his work, he is a police officer of twelve years, an impeccable record, he is in charge of the K9 Unit, he came off an operation for the police and he was asked to be of assistance, they were trying to get to the bottom of a real weird series of information in my view and that they had a person who was involved in the Orange Walk sensational killing that occurred on the 14th of March. And that so that is how he ended up being of assistance in terms of helping the police to try and piece together what must be quite a puzzle to link Belize City, Orange Walk, and then none other than the police headquarters in Belmopan.
Mr. Hill said to me that he was assisting his fellow police officers who informed him that they had that person at the police station locked up and that they needed him to help them in order to be able to try and extract additional information from that person.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
What person, the Chinese businessman from Belmopan?
Richard Dickie Bradley,
“Very said same person.”
Bradley says what he finds prejudicial is the statement made by Police Commissioner Gerald Westby in which he said that PC Hill was physically handed money.
Richard Dickie Bradley,
“Well this is why we find it rather strange that that Chinese businessman is not before the courts.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Do you believe the police actually have strong evidence against your client?
Richard Dickie Bradley,
“No I don’t believe they have strong evidence against my client. I believe what they have is what my client told them in furtherance of assisting them in their investigation. If they had strong evidence why isn’t the person who is actually the mastermind and the puppet master who is pulling the strings not in court? Why is it poor Mr. Manuel Hill, a police officer who has gone on to Her Majesty’s Prison?”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Attorney Dickie Bradley is convinced that this can as well happen to his client because you guys have absolutely no strong evidence linking him at all to what occurred in Orange Walk.
Sr. Supt James Magdaleno,
“Well he is an attorney, he has his job to do. We are police officers and we have our investigation to do. So that will be challenged when we get to court. He is an attorney, he is getting paid to do what he is doing and we are also getting paid to do what we are doing which is to investigate as police officers.”
Richard Dickie Bradley,
“You don’t go for the puppet, you go for the puppet masters because that means the puppet master can always go to another puppet when he needs to deal with somebody.”
Sr. Supt James Magdaleno,
“We are working along with the DPP.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
And that is why this Chinese businessman who we now know ordered the hit has not been charged? It is because he is assisting police with your investigation?
Sr. Supt James Magdaleno,
“Yes somewhat he is assisting but we are getting directives from the DPP, that is the reason he has not yet been charged.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Because I know the public outcry is that if he ordered this hit, this man is supposed to be behind bars, not only Kevin Alvarez and now PC Manuel Hill.
Sr. Supt James Magdaleno,
“That may be so but you must take into consideration that the abetment might have taken place in Belmopan and if we charge everybody we won’t have anybody as witnesses. So we have to look at that likewise.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
I know you guys go on the directives of the DPP but do you believe that this Chinese businessman, the man who ordered the hit, will be charged for anything?
Sr. Supt James Magdaleno,
“Mam I don’t know. If the DPP says we will charge him, I have no doubt that he will be charged. But I cannot say that, until the DPP can say because she is doing the negotiation with that gentleman’s attorney and they are dialoguing. I don’t know what the conversation or the consultation is about but as soon as that occurs, concludes rather, then she will give us further directives who else to charge and if the charges will be upgraded.”
Richard Dickie Bradley,
“Manuel Hill has told me and has repeated it this morning to me that he told the police certain information which they asked him to give as a consequence of them having, I can’t say the said Chinese businessman you are alluding to, but they had the person who had been behind he Orange Walk murder at he police station and that they needed him to help them to deal with that person and that is how he is tied up. My instructions from Mr. Hill is that he did not take part in anything in Orange Walk and that yes he told the police information which they gave to him to say you are the one that did a, b, and c because we have our man, he is right here at the station, x,y, and z, and now last night he told me he is shocked he is given a charged sheet. He is the one charged and not the person they are claiming he got money from.”
Voice of Family Spokesperson,
“The family is taking this as a shock because anybody who knows Manuel Hill definitely knows that he is not capable of what is levied against him. He is an upright citizen and again Manuel Hill was just working with the Police Department to help them, not for him to be misconstrued or being the lamb led to the slaughter because that is what’s going on. But again Manuel Hill is innocent and at the end of the day that will play out. I am disappointed at the statement made by the Commissioner, totally disappointed.”
According to the head of Senior Superintendent of Police Magdaleno there is the possibility that more cops will be arrested.
Sr. Supt James Magdaleno,
“During the investigation we are doing other things that I would not want to mention here at this time and that’s the reason I believe that other officers could be charged without saying what we are doing. We are very much embarrassed and the players that are involved, who we are investigating, as a part of the Crooks report he had recommended that we put a team together to deal with these kind of crimes and corruption that is happening everywhere, the Police Department is no exception. So we are going to put a team together to deal with these types of investigations that take place within the Police Department.”
Voice of Family Spokesperson,
“At the end of the day we will find closure and at the end of the day we will find out and the entire public will find out that he is innocent, that he is innocent.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Because the public will also be wondering that if indeed Manuel was approached by this individual, why did he not immediately go to the police and give them that information?
Voice of Family Spokesperson,
“Information like that, I can only speak through my attorney.”
After Police Constable Manuel Hill was arraigned on the charge for abetment to murder he was not granted bail and remanded to Hattieville Prison. Reporting for 7News Jacqueline Godwin.
Hill will join Kevin Cowboy Alvarez who’s also been remanded to Hattieville. There’s no word – either high or low - on the identity or the postings of the other police officers who are being investigated.
