Sedi denies interfering with cops in Lotto heist
More details are emerging in the case of the armed robbery of an employee of Tropical Gaming Company, the operator of Lotto in Belize. News 5 understands that on Monday night Lotto official Bruce Card picked up the day sales from several business establishments in Belize City. As had become the norm, Card went home with the cash, in this case, over fifty-three thousand dollars. But just as he was getting out of his car in front of his home at the corner of Coffin and Dakers Streets, Card was approached from behind by one of two men. One of them put a gun to Card’s spine, grabbed his knapsack and then both robbers ran away. The incident was immediately reported to police. But even though the gaming officials are extremely concerned about the incident, tonight they say they are just as bothered by allegations made about their cooperation, or more specifically, the lack thereof, with the police. Speaking off camera with News 5 this afternoon, Managing Director of Tropical Gaming, George Swift, says shortly after being informed of the incident, he received additional information that Card was in fact being harassed by the police during their interrogations. Based on that information, he immediately went to the station but within minutes, determined that Card was in good health and was not being mistreated, so he left. But today, the company says information disclosed by the police to the press intimated that through their attorney, Wilfred Elrington, Tropical Gaming had instructed their employee not to cooperate with the authorities. It is an allegation that both Swift and Elrington vehemently deny. In fact, Swift says he went so far as to explicitly tell Card to be as forthcoming as possible and even suggested to the officers that they should check the call logs of all the phones of Tropical Gaming employees to determine whether someone may have made a call about Card’s departure time. This afternoon, Elrington, who is also a shareholder of Tropical Gaming Company, says he is very disappointed that he has been misrepresented in the public eye since he did not even see his client after the incident.
Wilfred Elrington, Attorney, Tropical Gaming Company
“When I got inside, the only person I saw in the police station, in the C.I.B. section, was a Creole girl. The young lady might be twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven. I said to her, “goodnight, I would like to see Bruce.” She said, “wait Mr. Elrington” and she went into an office, which I know used to be used by the head of the C.I.B., and came back shortly afterwards and said could I wait on the bench. And I sat there on the bench for about half an hour. And while I sat there I heard noises inside the room, people talking, and after half an hour I got tired of waiting, I stood up and I said, “whoever comes out, tell them I was here.” I said that twice, “whoever comes out tell them that I was here.” And I left, went downstairs, got into my vehicle, went to see if I could locate Ms. Young to tell her that I did go to the police station, but I didn’t see Bruce. I thought maybe that the police had Bruce around there you know and they’re waiting, I don’t know.”
“My experience with the police is not pleasant. When I go there I try to be super courteous to them, never aggressive, very careful. I know they have arrested more than one attorney, charged more than one attorney. I know their attitude, so I stay far. Sometimes I feel ashamed of myself because if I as senior attorney am afraid to deal with the police and to go to the police station, what is going to happen to the ordinary Belizean?”
Since the incident on Monday night, Tropical Gaming says they have made new security arrangements to handle the pick up and deposit of daily Lotto sales. Police have yet to make any arrests in connection with the armed robbery. In related news, viewers are reminded that the jackpot for tonight’s Lotto draw is one hundred and seven thousand five hundred dollars.
