Tonight, we continue our investigation of police involvement in the Joseph Budna abduction. So far, one police officer has been placed on interdiction because of it - even when there is strong videotaped evidence to suggest that at least two more were directly involved in his abduction.
But, to even focus on that one officer, Constable 476 Barry Flowers may be too tight a view of a much broader panorama of criminality. Jules Vasquez looked at what's been said about his interdiction and what it means, starting with the man who authorized it:
Bart Jones, Acting Commissioner of Police
"The call actually was mine. what the evidence that has come forward so far where he has been identified, the only person who has been identified so far and so I thought that it was sufficient to put him on interdiction while the investigation continues and as I said, this is the same that occurs whenever a police officer, to the extent that there is some credible information that they may be involved in a crime."
So, the acting commissioner accepts - as he must - that Joseph Budna's identification of Barry Flowers was credible.
posted (September 5, 2025)
Voice of: Joseph Budna, Imprisoned in Guatemala
"He had on a white t-shirt and a three-quarter pants and I saw his face so I can recognize him. Yes, he is the one that had me over in white t-shirt."
Jules Vasquez
"So, you're seeing that person in the picture identified as Barry Flowers? Are you certain?"
Voice of: Joseph Budna, Imprisoned in Guatemala
"Yes, from his face. I can recognize his face. Look at the picture carefully and definitely, I can identify him as that person who had me over to the Guatemalan authorities."
Others who know Flowers tell us that the physiology of the abductor wearing the three quarter pants and white t shirt does resemble the Constable
He was not in a police uniform, but did he have a police weapon? He got special authorization to sign one out of the Mahogany Street police station when he was on leave. The question the commissioner must now answer is who gave that authorization.
Reporter
"In terms of Barry Flowers, how was he able to sign out a gun from SPU when he was on leave?"
Bart Jones, Acting Commissioner of Police
"All those issues, whether internally in terms of whether police officers breach their code of conduct or disciplinary procedures, the investigation will be looking at all of that so from a criminal perspective and also from an internal perspective so if it means a police officer may have reneged in his duty."
May have reneged on his duty - or worse, relinquished it altogether - and authorized a weapon for an outlaw mission. The fact is, the officer who handed Barry Flowers the weapon was authorized to do so by a higher up - and for sure, some gun was repeatedly used in the kidnapping:
August 27, 2025
Joseph Budna, Kidnapping Victim
"I'm badly beaten by the Belize police department. I'm badly beaten. And they gun butt me to my head, cause I was screaming. And every time I fight for my breath, they beat me with the gun butt into my ribs, into my face, into my head."
The question now hangs, whether the CZ 9 millimeter pistol handed to Barry Flowers was the one used for this dastardly deed.
We note again that this is the second time in 6 months that Constable Barry Flowers has been on interdiction. Former Commissioner Williams placed him on interdiction in April, and when Rosado took office in May, he took him off interdiction and transferred him to the SPU.
