By Belize Live News Staff: The Government of Belize says there is no legal framework in place to launch an independent investigation into the kidnapping of Joseph Budna. According to Minister of Public Service, Governance, and Disaster Risk Management Henry Charles Usher, such investigations are not provided for under Belizean law.
Minister Usher explained that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is constitutionally responsible for determining whether criminal charges can be filed, and that her office continues to review the Budna case report.
“The DPP is an independent body… and they are the ones responsible for looking to see if any charges should be filed in terms of any incident that happens,” Usher stated. “We have to remember that there’s a misunderstanding when it comes to independent investigations — we do not have that in our laws.”
Usher noted that Cabinet has held discussions on possibly moving toward establishing a special independent inquiry mechanism, similar to systems used in other Caribbean nations. However, for now, Belize’s laws only allow for investigations by the police, ombudsman, or a Senate inquiry.
He said that for the Budna case, the DPP’s review will determine if further investigation is warranted or if any criminal charges will follow.
