Iwanhi is a California born reggae singer whose made Belize her home. But she says that home in Los Lagos has been the site of two unwarranted police searches. Yesterday she told us it’s just plain racial profiling.
Iwanhi, Musician
“I am not committing any crime, I have no police record. As a matter of fact I’m a decorated veteran from the military with awards and I have police in my house that come downstairs, I am helping my kids make costumes, and the police are in my house; no warning, guns, they could shot me, they could have shot the kids.”
Jules Vasquez,
“How many times has this happened?”
Iwanhi,
“Where I just come downstairs and find the police, that happened once and then they came in and searched my house. I asked for search warrants and I still haven’t seen it.”
Jules Vasquez,
“What are they looking for?”
Iwanhi,
“You tell me. If they want music let me know, I can do some music. You tell me what the problem is, I don’t know.”
Jules Vasquez,
“Have they stated any specifics?”
Iwanhi,
“Well that’s funny you say that. There was an incident in Vista del Mar where they say there was a problem with some burglaries but the fact of the matter is we’re living in a quarter million dollar house in Vista del Mar and who was burglarizing. It makes no sense and when the police were in our house they were looking for a Spanish person. Do I look Spanish to you? That was the only explanation that they can give. I think this is profiling, I think it is racial profiling against people with dreads.
I had social service knocking on my door yesterday because of what happened in Vista Del Mar. They came all the way to Los Lagos to a $200,000 house to investigate if we are taking good care of the kids and what happened in Vista Del Mar. It makes no sense, it doesn’t wash. It does not wash.”
Jules Vasquez,
“Something must be happening if all these people are….I don’t know what’s happening but if all these people are searching your house…”
Iwanhi,
“Never get an explanation.”
Jules Vasquez,
“So you’re saying there is nothing illicit happening in this house?”
Iwanhi,
“No and they just did a background check on me. There is no problem at all, nothing. I have no police record. I have no police record here, I have no police record in the United States. What is the problem?
The next thing is when I flew in and they tried to arrest me. They didn’t give me any reason. They said I am going to arrest.”
Jules Vasquez,
“Wait, you flew in and they tried to arrest you?”
Iwanhi,
“Yes and I went through Customs no problem. They searched all my bags everything and no problem. I had soccer balls that I was donating to a summer youth program, I dropped those off.”
Jules Vasquez,
“They tried to arrest you?”
Iwanhi,
“They tried to arrest me yes and gave me no reasons at all. Look, I was vexed. It continues to go.
By them profiling me because I have dreads, that is discrimination, that is against the law.”
Jules Vasquez,
“You have no proof that that is the main evidence against you.”
Iwanhi,
“Well when the officer makes statements like how can you afford to live in this neighbourhood, what is that?”
Jules Vasquez,
“You’ve been told that?”
Iwanhi,
“Yes, that is what the officer told me.”
We were unable to get comment from Police.
