Tonight, the BDF formation in the Cayo district has still not recovered the M4 Carbine Rifle which a soldier carelessly lost last weekend.
But there are disturbing reports which 7news has received about the circumstances under which it was lost.
We have heard the official version of events which say that a Lance corporal simply misplaced his weapon when he abandoned his watch post to go visit a friend.
But information to 7News tonight is that the soldier. - and indeed the entire patrol - was in Guatemala - socializing - as they say. And tonight, the weapon remains there - and the BDF has offered to buy it back! Here's the information 7News has put together from multiple sources:
Between October 15 and 16th an M4 Carbine like this was lost by a BDF soldier. 7News has received credible reports which say it may have been lost in Guatemala - by an intoxicated soldier. What's more, reports tell us, the military grade assault rifle was loaded with a full clip, 30 live rounds of 5.56 ammunition.
To comprehend how a BDF rifle ends up in Guatemala - you would have to understand that the BDP post at Xunatunich is here - and it is a common practice for soldiers to make the short half an hour hike along a bush picado to the border community of Bario El Juda in Guatemala where the attraction is cheap beer, available female company, as well as low cost cell phone Guatemalan SIM cards that will give a soldier internet access in the bush.
On Saturday, the entire patrol reportedly went to a friendly home in El Judah to drink, and it's the beer that was the undoing of one soldier, everyone else quit and returned to their post in Belize, but he reportedly got so drunk he doesn't know where he lost the weapon. Again, reports say the loss became known on Saturday, the 15th.
Now, underworld elements in Guatemala have communicated with the BDF and told them they have the weapon and are willing to sell it back to the BDF for a reported $7,000 Belize dollars. It's a total embarrassment for the force to negotiate with Guatemalans to get back their own weapon, but if the weapon goes further than Juda, the scale of the embarrassment will only multiply for the BDF. And while that deal was entertained, latest reports say it has been called off and the Carbine is in the wind tonight, and, with it, the reputation of the BDF.
We note also this is the second Carbine rifle stolen or lost by that formation since August, the first one was found in Belize City.
