Police Finally Charge Kenzle Hulse in “Pistol-Whipping” Case
Godwin Hulse
Two months after the incident was first reported to police, twenty-seven year old Kenzle Hulse has been charged with harm. It was announced late this evening that the businessman from Cohune Walk Area is accused of assaulting Alberto Santos Lopez on January twenty-second at a gas station in Belmopan. There had been concerns that Minister of Immigration and Agriculture and Kenzle’s father Godwin Hulse had “instructed” police not to lay charges or otherwise obstruct the course of justice. It was a charge that Hulse flatly denied when reporters spoke with him about a month after the allegations were laid.
Andrea Polanco
“Was there any obstruction on your end?”
Godwin Hulse, Minister of Agriculture [File: February 21st, 2017]
“Absolutely not. He didn’t pistol whip anybody, so, you could have actually called the young man and go see yuh know, suh mek ah give you a bit of the case so you know. Let me share with you. A man came to the gas station, as I understand it; and my son was with me in the south that day, to buy some butane. After his truck was filled he decided not to pay because he said that the meter was wrong, he left without paying. Not only did he leave without paying, he came back with a police. Well why the hell a police would come back is beyond me, police inspected the meter and the tank; now I don’t know what expertise he had to do that because other people were buying. He left again without paying. When my son found out, I said report it to the police because the guy has to pay. My son, I think, reported, I don’t know who he reported it to but he gave the guy the receipt and the guy went down to the station Sunday morning. While my son, his wife and his kid were heading to Mountain Pine Ridge and in the station attacked as I understand it the attendants cussing up etc… My son got there, he got into that cussing match as well not only did he get into the cussing match he rushed towards his vehicle. Now my son doesn’t know what the hell is coming out of the vehicle and so my son grabbed him; that is my understanding from everybody there and pulled out his weapon. While he did that, his wife came and hit him in his back with something. Now, please explain to me, if you should stand there to make some Guatemalan or whoever he is kill yuh backside and then run across the border and case done? I say hell no. The police were instructed by whomever to do their thing I didn’t intervene at all and as far as I am concerned I stand ready if he is charged with anything to defend him. Because if he was in a bar or on the street or jumped, hell no this is three times a man comes and buys your product and doesn’t pay, comes back with police doesn’t pay, comes back and makes a commotion hell no.”
Reporter
“The police cannot get your son to the court?”
Godwin Hulse
“Because the police has the responsibility to look at a case properly and decide if they are going to charge or not charge and let me tell you something, Mr. Wade, it is not pulling out a gun and assault. Please, this is defending yourself, your property, your employees and everybody around and God forbid, if you can’t do that in this country, then we have a problem.”
Reporter
“Could you please speak on the matter that he has been brought in twice by the police, yet they Haven’t charged him. Not because they don’t want, but because they state it is political interference?”
Godwin Hulse
“Well, that is your interpretation. The police who is giving you “shushushu” information that is your information. It is certainly not mine. I have no political interference in the matter. So, please don’t try to link this to the fact that he happens to be my son.”
