Police Constable Gabriel Pou - one week ago the Commissioner of Police asked him to come forward with his evidence about the Budna kidnapping - tonight it's the Prime Minister telling him to "put up or shut up."
Now, if you don't know who Pou is - in early December his attorney wrote to Compol Rosado saying he was being transferred as a punitive measure because, quote, "the decision (to transfer) was made shortly after (the constable) made known to your office, in his capacity as a police officer, specific, incriminating information concerning high-ranking individuals involved in the highly sensitive Budna Kidnapping matter." End quote. Last Monday the Compol urged him to come forward with the evidence. Pou's attorney put out a release saying: "Mr. Pou clarifies that the Commissioner's "urging" for him to come forward is a transparent attempt to gaslight the public and mask a history of systemic suppression and retaliation...The public is well aware that when the Police Department or the Government is accused of wrongdoing, the machinery of the state often shifts from investigation to intimidation."
Well today the PM turned it up one level more, telling Pou he should go to the DPP:
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Well if officer Pou is making those allegations that he needs to go to the DPP and that's, that's his right and he has I think not only a moral but a legal responsibility to go to the DPP. I think he should stop, you know just hurling these accusations he either step up or shut up. And I don't know him. He tried to meet with me. I was unable to meet with him but I would rather stay away from these things. Go to the DPP. Now this is on the issue of setting up something, an independent type of investigation in Belize that is in the hands of the Attorney General. it's a long process to be able to learn to ensure that we can do it that whatever whatever laws we do that it is going to be done. And that it can be managed properly because we might not do it the next government, might not do it the third government for now, might not use it for political victimization, but who knows? In the future you can never tell. We have to ensure that we have the proper safeguards that when this is in place it can only be done for for serious investigations that are needed such as the one as you claim with the investigation."
In Pou's press release, he says he has tried to speak with the Compol, his Deputy and, quote, Multiple high-ranking and influential government officials. He. Concludes, quote, "The response to these prior attempts to "come forward" was not a search for truth, but a campaign of inaction."
