Constable acquitted of blackmail charges

A Police Constable who was interdicted from duty because of allegations that he attempted to extort money from a Mennonite family in Spanish Lookout was acquitted this week in the Supreme Court. The attorney for Leonard Williams, Dean Barrow successfully argued that his client had no case to answer for any of the charges, which ranged from extortion to blackmail as well as soliciting an advantage in connection with a series of incidents in April and May of 1999. It was alleged by the prosecution represented by Crown Counsel Linbert Willis, that Constable Williams, who was a friend of Ben Braun, had been one of the people connected with a letter and several cellular phone calls, demanding $2,000 from the family if they did not want their daughter to be kidnapped as Menno Penner had been in March. Williams was also accused of advising Braun to comply with the demands, not go to the police and to follow the directions to bury the money in an envelope at a certain location. Braun did not take the advice and began to be suspicious of Williams. He called the police and then buried half the money and a letter asking for more time at the designated site. A police stakeout that night resulted in the arrest of Williams after he was discovered searching the area for the envelope. Barrow’s arguments in court, however, were that although Williams may have been in the area, there was nothing to connect him positively to the letters or phone calls and proof that he had acted as a principle agent as he was being charged. Furthermore, he argued that Williams’ suggestions to Braun could be interpreted as an attempt to protect the family. Justice Troadio Gonzalez accepted the no case submissions and dismissed the charges. Williams was interdicted from duty after his arrest, but with his acquittal he could be reinstated on the Police Force. News Five was told that Ben Braun is out of the country and therefore unavailable for comment. A similar incident occurred in July of 1999, when two men from Billy White Village were arrested after making threats and demands for money from Eddy Theisen. Both were arrested when the family called police. Menno Penner, who was kidnapped in March of 1999, is still missing.