Tonight, there is an unusual arrest to report in Orange Walk - where a mennonite from August Pine Ridge, was charged for having a .223 rifle being fitted with a scope.
He is 24 year old Abram "Abe" FRIESEN and his rifle - which we are told looks something like this one we found on the internet - is licensed, but police say he put a scope on it without the authorization of the Commissioner. Now, that sounds like a pure technicality - and we'd venture to say that pretty much every mennonite in those rural areas has a similiar scope affixed to his rifle.
But, police were intent on charging Friesen and we'll tell you why in a few. But, first to the details of the charge. At 9:30 yesterday morning, police went to FRIESEN's home at Camp 23 Shipyard where they found the rifle with the scope. He was detained along with a relative - who is a law enforcement officer - because he had some extended clips. This evening Friesen was taken to Orange Walk Magistrate's Court and charged for "TAMPERING WITH A FIREARM WITHOUT THE AUTHORIZATION OF THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE." He pleaded not guilty and was granted bail of five thousand dollars plus a surety of the same amount. He re-appears in court November 12th.
His relative - the lawman who was also detained - was released without charges for the extended clips.
But, what's really at play here? What's all the fuss? Well, 7News has been following the story since yesterday and it seems this search and arrest was the top priority for Deputy Commissioner of Police Chester Williams after he took over as acting Commissioner yesterday. Allen Whylie is still the Compol, but he is on leave until the 7th September.
So, Acting Compol Williams acted on information that these men may have some knowledge of certain suspect activities in the north. We're told he was seeking to arrest a special constable - who is assigned to the Orange Walk Quick Response Team. We are told that individual has been removed from the QRT, because police believe their may be some compromised information. But, the arrest didn't yield anything major - just one minor and obscure charge.
Going beyond this particular case, we are told that Acting Compol Williams is running operations to try and bring in some of the persons who have knowledge of the logistics and movements of drug planes in northern Belize.
In that regard, police just took a hit yesterday when a Facebook page alleged that they have been sitting on very specific evidence found after a drug plane crash in March. It's a notebook full of what appears to be precise GPS coordinates for landings and take off's on clandestine airstrips in Belize, and Mexico - it appears.
Neither the public nor the media had any awareness of this loaded piece of evidence- and the allegation made on the Facebook page was that police had it and just did nothing about it. The implication is that police are complicit in the landings of these drug planes.
Today, the Police Department sent out a release calling that a slur, and saying, quote, "The Department has carefully examined the information and hereby refutes its accuracy. In March of this year, the Department confirmed the illegal crash landing of an aircraft in northern Belize…Shortly after landing, a team of National Security personnel arrived on the crash site and a search of the burnt remains revealed a notebook containing coordinates. Also found were other items believed to have been used to facilitate the illegal landing. At no time were any drugs found at the crash site or elsewhere. All items found were taken into custody by the police as part of the investigation process. Some of the items found were made known to the public whilst others were not, as doing so would have compromised the ongoing investigation." The release continues, "the investigation into this and other landings are still ongoing and have not revealed the involvement of any police officers or government officials. While the Department may have an idea as to who were behind this landing, there is not sufficient evidence at this time to lay charges against those persons." End quote.
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