Joseph Budna was Also Wanted in Belize

Joseph Budna

Tonight, Joseph Budna remains in police custody and not at the Central Prison in Hattieville. He escaped from Guatemala earlier this year, in May, and ended up in Camalote, Cayo where an operation carried out by the Belize Police Department on Thursday morning led to his apprehension. Budna was serving a thirty-year sentence for kidnapping and escape at a Guatemalan jail when he out manoeuvred security and escaped, making his way back to Belize. But that act has landed him in more trouble with the law, not only in Guatemala, but also in Belize. As it turns out, he was wanted in Belize for a drug trafficking case for which he was arraigned years ago, but absconded to neighbouring Guatemala to avoid the courts. In an exclusive one-on-one with News Five’s Duane Moody, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams disclosed the matter.

Chester Williams

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“It was believed that he had come to Belize to seek refuge. Police operation in the Camalote area has since resulted in the apprehension of Mister Budna and he is currently in police custody. May I also mention that Mister Budna was also wanted in Belize in respect to a matter before the court for which he had escaped to Guatemala to avoid the arms of the law. And so now that he has been recaptured, we are trying to see how we can bring that matter back before the court. It was adjourned sine die and so we are seeing how we can get it back into the court system. Now that is he back in Belize and in police custody, the prosecutors are working with the court to see how the matter can be brought back because it was not dismissed or struck out or anything; it was just adjourned sine die.”