Fitz Howard Complains Of Police Harassment
Fitz Harris Howard
There’s another activist who believes that he is being targeted. Fitz Harris Howard, an associate of Raymond Rivers, says he was at his home on Iguana Street on October twentieth when officers dressed in black showed up and proceeded to search him. Howard says he had a roach on him and was then taken to Belmopan to be charged. Now, this isn’t the norm. Usually, someone would be taken to the nearest police station. But that wasn’t the case with Howard. He was taken all the way to Belmopan and said he was never told why he was taken there but his phone was searched and he was asked about the photos he had on his phone. Well, he said he was subsequently charged for the roach and that matter is pretty much settled. But he says the way he was taken to Belmopan is rather unsettling. He explains what transpired:
Fitz Harris Howard, Claims Intimidation
“The officers basically pick me up from deh suh and put me inna the vehicle and they search me and say deh gwein charge me.”
Reporter
“Fi the roach?”
Fitz Harris Howard
“Fi the roach. They search me and put me inna the vehicle and say they wah charge me. I expected they mi wah come round the lane and come to Raccoon Street Police Station but instead ah come yah, they start drive crazy with me inna the back ah the pickup truck and ker me to Belmopan.”
Reporter
“All the way to Belmopan? Didn’t anybody explain to you why you are being taken to Belmopan?”
Fitz Harris Howard,
“Way to Belmopan. Well, they just say that they want talk to me when time they reach dah Belmopan. So, I gone dah Belmopan and they put me inna cell and they end up the charge me and by the time I get a station bail, dah like ten-thirty the night. The arrest was made at.”
Reporter
“So, five and a half hours or five hours and fifteen minutes later?”
Fitz Harris Howard
“Pretty much, yes, sir.”
Reporter
“Now, did they talk to you about anything?”
Fitz Harris Howard
“Well, they talk to me about some conspiracy but they nuh tell me exactly what dah the conspiracy. I tell them I nuh have any problem fi talk to unu, just call mi lawyer and we wah discuss any conspiracy. They just ker me downstairs and left me down deh and charge me fi the lee roach weh I had.”
Reporter
“They are challenging your constitutional right to associate as you wish, view content as you wish and to speak as you wish?”
Fitz Harris Howard
“Yes, sir. I really believe so. I honestly believe so. You have to stand up fi yuh rights. People the protest. People the do certain things, yes. But you have a legal right fi do that.”
