Drug Case Against Former OW Police Commander, Police Officer and Mexicans Continues
The former head of the Orange Walk Police Formation, Superintendent David Chi, a police constable and two Mexican nationals arrived at the Orange Walk Magistrate Court today for trial. There was heavy police presence as the sensational trial got underway. The men are accused of landing a drug plane carrying twenty-six bales of cocaine in the Blue Creek area in September 2018. It is one of the few instances that arrests have been made in relation to the landing of drug planes in various parts of the country. The court will hear statements from eleven witnesses during the trial. Here is News Five’s Hipolito Novelo.
David Chi
David Chi, Charged for Drug Trafficking Offense
“Do you want me to take off my shades too?”
Hipolito Novelo
“Do you want to? You can go ahead sir.”
David Chi
“When I come back.”
Hipolito Novelo, Reporting
Out on bail; former Orange Walk Commander Superintendent David Chi today appeared in the Orange Walk Magistrate Court where the trial against him and three others continued before Senior Magistrate Patricia Arana.
The presence of heavily armed law enforcement officers was noticeable. Chi along with Police Constable Norman Anthony and Mexican nationals Eli Figueroa Nunez and Azarias Manzano stands accused of carrying out an illicit plane landing on September ninth, 2018 in Tres Leguas, near Blue Creek. The plane carried twenty-six bales of cocaine.
Day two of the sensational crime commenced with the testimony of ASP Gongora, the head of the intelligence unit for the district. ASP Gongora recounted to the court the night he ran into PC Tillett, who is attached to the Blue Creek Police Station.
Richard “Dickie” Bradley
Richard “Dickie” Bradley, Attorney for Eli Figueroa Nunez
“In his case he is seen driving a vehicle. This is what the witness was saying this morning. He was seen driving a vehicle, heading north, northwest. There was a lot of things about the cardinal points. In any event that was it. I mean, he said he spoke to him like where are you going. He said I am going to check on information meaning that somebody called saying that a plane is looking to land or a plane is circle or whatever. Now, how will you charge someone because of that. It sounded like there was a spaceship or another plane to you? The police saw a light and the light was flashing and then he saw an aircraft and then the aircraft had vanished and then when police officer Anthony was in the vehicle he was speaking to him that he wasn’t properly dressed and that he had on a sleeveless shirt and police pants which is against the rules. And then another police officer said that a plane is landing. That’s another plane. You are laughing.”
Hipolito Novelo
“He said PC Norman looked suspicious, I believe.”
Richard “Dickie” Bradley
“He used that word as well, no? And the clothes as well. The clothes…”
Norman Anthony
Hipolito Novelo
“Half dressed.”
Richard “Dickie” Bradley
“That is the kind of thing we have to look at more carefully. I’ve known of instances where they have said that the vehicle was behaving suspicious. So try not to borrow one of those vehicles or drive that vehicle that behave suspicion. Yes?”
PC Anthony is being represented by attorney Leeroy Banner while Chi is being represented by attorney David Morales. Richard Dickie Bradley is the legal counsel for Eli Figueroa Nunez who along with Azarias Manzano was charged with importing drugs into the country. While Chi and Anthony are out on the bail the two Mexicans remain in custody but there is consideration in applying for bail. Bradley says that would be determined as the trial continues.
Richard “Dickie” Bradley
“The two Mexicans, they were put through a terrible ordeal. They supposedly were involved in the matter. I say supposedly, allegedly. The charge against them is one single charge…you conspire to abet to commit a crime. Conspiracy is a crime. Abetment is a crime. Bringing drugs into a country is a crime. They are doing this to do this to do this. Under the rules that govern the court my client Eli Figueroa Nunez would be entitled to be granted bail. Today, I briefly discussed with him, I said to him that if God is willing your trial will be completed at least by the end of January so I know it is hard. He has been badly beaten. He has a lot of internal problems. In fact even in the disclosure they had to rush him to this hospital because he was in pain. I am not going to say how he got into pain but we will get to that part. That is still a matter that is before our minds but we also need a level of comfort that he is not going to abscond, he has nothing to run away from. Nobody caught him on the plane or at the plane site or with any drugs or anything like that. He just needs to clarify that they are saying that he said that he had known about the plane. So if we look like we are going to drag on like when we come back again then I will have no choice but in fairness to him.”
The trial will include the submissions of nineteen witnesses. According to Bradley, if things move along as agreed to, he does not expect a lengthy trial.
Richard “Dickie” Bradley
“Where we are is that in fact there are nineteen witnesses who have given statements in the disclosure. We agreed that eleven statements is what will be used in the actual trial. The others would be repeating what had already been said. Of that amount we agreed that in fact a number of statements out of that eleven there would only be the need to call some of the witnesses so that the defense can what is called cross examination. The actual court room testimonies have be slashed at least by half. So the trial will finish quicker. We were hoping to continue on Wednesday but one of the attorneys will be unavoidably absent and then next week the prosecutor is also not able because of official duties to come. When we come back if God is willing, in two days time we should be finish with the testimonies if the cross examination doesn’t take long. There are three attorneys and sometimes you need to do like take. You can’t go straight into the wind. You go so when you really want to go so but you really want to go so. There will be a lot of that in order to make sure that we bring out the information to show that it is clear that the situation is not what the police are claiming.”
The matter was adjourned to January twenty-seventh. The prosecution is being represented by attorney Alifa Elrington. Reporting for News Five, I am Hipolito Novelo.
