Three cops in Bou-Nahra case interdicted

Following the embarrassing collapse of the murder trial against Belize City businessman Ben Bou-Nahra because investigating officers could not identify the accused, today two of the three cops in question have been relieved of duty. According to police high command, the actions of the trio will be scrutinised by internal affairs to determine if disciplinary action can be taken against them. The officers in question: Inspector Clement Cacho, Constable Darius Ramos and Sergeant Anthony Polonio, all dealt with Bou-Nahra on the morning of September seventeenth, 2005, either at the crime scene of Bou-Nahra’s home or at the police station. On Tuesday—the day before their scheduled testimony—they all told the Director of Public Prosecutions and two prosecutors that, yes, they could and would identify Bou-Nahra as the man they dealt with. However, twenty-four hours later they all developed amnesia. This afternoon Senior Superintendent Allen Whylie briefed the media on the latest developments of the case.

Sr. Superintendent, Allen Whylie, Officer Commanding, C.I.B.
“This afternoon, as stated in the police’s press release, Sergeant Polonio along with P.C. Ramos were interdicted from active police duty. Recommendations have been made for Acting Inspector of Police Clement Cacho to be interdicted also from active police duty. He has since handed over command of the C.I.B. and we are awaiting a formal letter from the Security Services Commission in respect to him. An adjudicator has been appointed by the Commissioner of Police and that person is Senior Supt. James Magdaleno. Both officers, in terms of Sergeant Polonio and P.C. Ramos, have been served with their disciplinary charges this afternoon for Act Prejudice to Good Order and Discipline and also for Bringing the Belize Police Department into Disrepute. The investigation is being headed by our Legal Advisor Sr. Superintendent Keith Lino and these decisions were made following the initiation of the investigation by Internal Affairs Department.”

“The fourth officer, based on my understanding—am not doing the investigation—but based on my understanding, he was never asked to identify the defendant. He testified, I gathered to the best of his knowledge and he was never asked to identify the defendant, so to this date in time no wrongdoing has been attributed towards him. But nonetheless he is still under investigation, so to speak.”

Sr. Supt. Chester Williams, Deputy Commander, Eastern Division
“I gave statements, my statement was in the file but I was never called as a witness in the Bou-Nahra case. I am certain that I am one of the officers who would have been able to identify Ben Bou-Nahra to the court because I knew him prior to and after the incident, but I was never called as a witness to testify. I was the person who dealt with him during that incident the most. I was the one who recorded his statement”

Marion Ali
“And those officers were out there with you or were working with you on this same case?”

Sr. Supt. Chester Williams
“Some of them were involved. They went on the scene, they spoke briefly to him and thereafter they were reporting off duty and they went.”

Marion Ali
“But they were there with you at the scene?”

Sr. Supt. Chester Williams
“Not all the time, not right through.”

Marion Ali
“But they were there?”

Sr. Supt. Chester Williams
“Initially, yes.”

Marion Ali
“What you felt happened?”

Sr. Supt. Chester Williams
“I will not comment.”

Late this evening a police press release informed us that the Security Services Commission, on the recommendation of the Commissioner of Police, has also placed the third officer, Clement Cacho, on immediate interdiction and rescinded his rank from acting Inspector back to that of Sergeant. Like the other two officers, Cacho has also been charged with Prejudice to Good Order and Bringing the Belize Police Department into Disrepute.