Joseph Budna is out on bail from his abetment to murder charge after his attorney, Arthur Saldivar, filed an application to the high court. But after he was put on remand, he was taken to the Orange Walk court to answer to other charges. He explained that he was arrested for cybercrime offenses.
However, while he was in prison, a photograph was taken of him, which has been circulated on social media. An account under the name Anthony Tillett recently went live on Facebook and alleged that he was being given updates on Budna while he was in isolation.
Now Budna says the release of that photo was a breach of prison security and though he tried to report the person behind the Tillett Facebook page to the Cybercrime unit, it was to no avail.
So instead, today made a dramatic entrance at Memorial Park in Belize City, his vehicle covered in posters proclaiming his innocence. He explained to us how the picture was even taken.
Joseph Budna, Out On Bail
"In regards to the photo taken of me inside the Kolbe Foundation facility while I was in isolation, restricted from phone calls, restricted from communicating from anyone. I believe they would have allowed me to communicate with the attorney if the attorney had reached to the prison. However, this was done in the name of, you know what, we will have you on observation, however, the observation that they had me on, well, it was uncalled for, at least to my knowledge. However, it is regulation according to the police authorities. Now, you come to my cell and take photographs as authority, dressed in black and say, Mr Budna stand up, we need a photograph of you, so that we can send to our chief executive officer who command us to take the photograph so they can know that you are alive. No problem, sir. I complied, I never knew that that photograph was taken for other activity. I know that it is being circulated on certain social media pages and it had been causing quite an amount of distress on my behalf. I have been charged for simple little allegations of cybercrime, this is a serious one and I don't think going to the police department, cybercrime, I will get assistance because I believe I am being targeted. I made an official police report against a guy that has a fake name, a fake account, Anthony Tillett, which is not his real name. I made official report through the Belmopan cybercrime couple months ago, I would say about three, four months ago, and inspector Garcia who is one of the leading officer in cybercrime in Belmopan told me just about two months ago, you know what, we already found a way to get that man from Guatemala to Belize because he's a Belizean. Now, is that just word of comfort, is it s comfort to a fool, because then if police cybercrime unit is serious to solve cybercrime you cannot tend to be one sided."
And he says he believes the Tillett page is working as a political operative. In a vast web of conspiratorial hints and allegations, he claimed that the government is trying to silence him because of his work as a, quote, "investigative journalist." He added that he believes his life is in danger, and he thinks his potential killers will make it look like an accident.
Joseph Budna, Out On Bail
"I am not asking anybody to empathize with me and the people know what is happening and the game that is playing. You know when somebody, tell me which journalist in Belize tell this government that you need to buckle up and do your work. Which journalist has gone to the scene and told them this street needs to get fixed and it needs to get fixed now because you have the money for it, the people are suffering. I'm not saying I'm better than you guys but we need journalists to have sufficient… to be out there. I know it's a risky job, at the end of the day, somebody has to do it."
Reporter:
"How would you describe your qualifications as a journalist?"
Joseph Budna, Out On Bail
"My qualifications as a journalist, I'm highly qualified because I know how to go about reporting my news story, I have been in this for over 25 years and I would like Channel 5 to have asked me that when I was a freelance journalist for you at Channel 5 so please be careful."
"My type of journalism is investigative, I go out, I do my investigation, I go back and check if things get done. I know it's a risky job. While you have other journalism that goes out, does interview, does different stories and these things, my one is an investigative one without attacking any political figure."
"And we have many figures even in the government of the day because those are the ones who I believe is behind Joseph Budna to silence him."
"Will those political figures try to get a gunman and let it play off as if it is a simple murder, oh he had problems with somebody, they show him, he died. Or a vehicle accident, I am looking at all of this because it happens. It happens and I'm not afraid and I won't stay hushed."
In terms of the cybercrime offenses, Budna was charged for using a computer system to disseminate a false statement with the intent to cause another person to be subject to public ridicule or embarrassment. He reportedly made allegations against Minister of State Ramon Cervantes back in January of this year.
