Over $200,000 to be paid by government to settle GSU abuse
Kareem Musa
In August of 2011, there was a violent confrontation on the streets of Belize City between armed police officers of the Gang Suppression Unit and residents of George Street who were mourning the loss of Charles Woodye, murdered one week prior. The altercation occurred at the post-funeral gathering at a house on George Street in Belize City. While situations like these are certainly not rare, in that instance the aggrieved men took their case to the courts, and on Wednesday of this week, they won a judgment for one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars to be shared among eighteen claimants. The attorney representing the George Street residents is Kareem Musa.
Kareem Musa, Attorney, George Street Residents
“The case came to a head yesterday. It was scheduled for a trial, but in fact, the matter was settled because basically if you look at the pleadings, the GSU had no defense. There is no defense to entering somebody’s yard without warning and then just proceeding to deliver the worse beat down that anybody could ever imagine. And we are talking cut wounds to the head, we are talking fractured ribs, broken arms; you name it. Pepper spray to the face, people got tazed; big welts on their legs. You name it, they suffered those injuries that day. There was no criminal investigation. The government did not take a position on this matter, the D.P.P. did not come out on this matter; naturally, the police did not investigate their own. It’s all been a completely disturbing case if you ask me—that these people were not offered any sort of justice; any answers, no investigation, nothing to assist them following that horrible incident that took place.”
175/18=9722.22————————-minus lawyer fee $ estimatd 1k each?
Tell me, just how are you supposed to treat criminal gangs? Oh I remember now, put them on the payroll. This is ridiculous!
and the govt gonna pay much more as time progresses because they have no control over the police department. They have allowed the GSU to run freely and it has created a cancer of injustice that is now spreading at an alarming rate throughout the department. The police officers have seen what the GSU can do and how easily they have gotten away with it so now they are enforcing the law through brute force just like their peers in the GSU. By bringing in the BDF to compliment the police officers in law enforcement on the streets, it seems that this is the kind of action the gov’t wants and are willing to pay the courts for it when they have to.
They say we know how things start but we don’t know how it will end. If the police and GSU continue to use brute force on the people to enforce law and order, the question then is, how long will it take for innocent people caught in the web of abuse to react with violence against the police department?
The problem is that ppl like you “concerned belizean” are either a criminal or have not been hit by the crime wave as yet. I’m damn sure that even Mr Yasser is happy with what happened the only thing is that he’s not gonna show it cause he is making a living as an attorney. On my part i’m happy that someone like the GSU exists and have the balls to deal with the menace in society such as gang members. I prefer for the GSU to come hard on these guys look how calm the city is at present, is it really the precincts or the job done by the GSU that has the city as is presently. 1 thing i love about the GSU is that i have never heard anything about then taking away money from persons or abusing innocent persons. all those that complain are criminals.