Immigration Officer Tells How Authorities Got to Middleton
We will come to more of the Orange Walk-based immigration officer’s relationship with Middleton later on, but first, she revealed that she assisted Immigration officers who came to her asking about Middleton. Barton has a brother Eugene, who is a former Immigration officer; so which one was it? Officers, including Mark Tench, who were on the hunt for the perpetrator who used the missing visa foils in Chinese passports came to her seeking assistance. She says she ultimately led them to Barton Middleton. But she was unclear on whom she contacted first before ultimately getting Barton to talk to the Immigration officers. Questioned on this, she said she was only trying to help.
Inez Casanova, Immigration Officer
“They came and I assisted them; I got a Mr. Middleton and that was it. I just [assisted] them with the name of Mr. Middleton – who they saw after that, I have no idea.”
Aldo Salazar, Chair, Senate Special Select Committee
“I just want to clarify that situation – they came to you for what?”
Inez Casanova
Inez Casanova
“They came to me because they had mentioned to me about some missing ideas – I had no idea what they were talking about – but I just wanted to assist them because they said they had some visas missing and if I know a Mr. Middleton; I called Mr. Middleton, Mr. Middleton came and they left. And that was it.”
Eamon Courtenay, P.U.P. Senator
“As I understand it, Mr. Vernon [Leslie] etc from Benque came to Orange Walk and said we are looking for Mr. Middleton in relation to the missing visas. The question I am asking is: according to you, you knew two Mr. Middletons – Eugene and Mr. Barton. My question is how is it that you decided to refer them to Mr. Barton, or why you called Mr. Barton and why he came.”
Inez Casanova
“Well first I called his brother and I didn’t get any response, so then I called [Barton] Middleton and that is how he came.”
Eamon Courtenay
“So it’s just that you knew two Middletons; and you called them and said they are investigating visas; they want a Mr. Middleton; and he voluntarily came?”
Inez Casanova
“Yes, sir. When they first came they asked me for a Middleton; and that is why I called the brother. Then they said, ‘Not [him],’ they wanted to see Barton Middleton, and that is how I called Barton Middleton.”
Mark Lizarraga, Senator, Business Community
“You did not give them the name Barton?”
Inez Casanova
“No.”
Mark Lizarraga
“Because in their testimony to this committee, they said they were looking for a Mr. Middleton – we didn’t know who this Mr. Middleton was; everybody was looking for this elusive Mr. Middleton. I thank you very much for finally confirming and identifying Mr. Middleton for us today, but they did not know, according to their testimony, who Mr. Middleton was. So did you give them the name Mr. Barton Middleton?”
Inez Casanova
“Yes, sir, I did.”
Mark Lizarraga
“You did? You gave them the name Barton Middleton? So you are changing your testimony again – because earlier you said that they came to you asking for a Mr. Barton Middleton?”
Inez Casanova
“They came and they asked for a Middleton; I called the brother; and then they realized it was not the brother, it was Barton Middleton. And that is how I called Barton Middleton.”
Later, Casanova would clarify that she personally had nothing to worry about in relation to the foils – she said was more concerned about disproving the existence of any personal relationship between her and Middleton.
