Leak of Disclosure Threatens Wellbeing of Criminal Informant
In Corozal District, a well-known resident involved in the underworld, has reportedly shared details of a disclosure in a criminal case that’s presently before the court. The discovery makes public the information provided by an informant. The leak of the disclosure jeopardizes the life of that individual, as well as the safety and wellbeing of his family. It is a serious concern for Commissioner of Police Chester Williams.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“It’s something we have to look at and let me say that it is not a leak, per se. You would know that when a person is charged, the court does order disclosure and that information was issued as part of a disclosure to a case. I am hoping that going forward, the courts are going to be more receptive or cooperative with the police, in terms of these investigations, that whenever disclosures are given that we would be allowed to blot our certain information pertaining to witnesses, not just in gang cases, but in every case that may likely cause witnesses to be threatened. We have to find a way, I know that the witness anonymity bill which has been passed in the House, does provide the mechanism of the prosecution to be able to apply to the court in certain cases that when disclosures are given that we can blot out all information that may lead to the identity of witnesses. So we are hoping that we can get some enforcement to that and it will help to protect potential, as well as current witnesses. So it troubles me certainly, as the Commissioner of Police because we don’t want to be doing things that endanger the life of people and I would hope that when we make these applications to the court, the court will not just look at the right or interest of the accused person but also display that balancing act in balancing the right of the accused to know who are the persons who are going to give evidence against him or her with the right of the witness who may be threatened.”
