Danny Mason’s Kidnapping Trial to Begin in Late April  

In three months, the kidnapping and blackmail trial against William ‘Danny’ Mason and Belmopan resident Ryan Rhaburn will begin in the High Court before Justice Nigel Pilgrim. The trial, set to start on April twenty-ninth and conclude by May ninth, 2025, will be heard by a jury of nine, yet to be selected. This morning, Mason and Rhaburn appeared for their Case Management Conference in Justice Pilgrim’s courtroom, where the trial date was confirmed. Mason’s legal team, led by Trinidadian attorney Peter Taylor, and Rhaburn’s defense, represented by Senior Counsel Simeon Sampson and attorney Ian Gray, were present. During the CMC, Gray announced he would call an alibi witness for Rhaburn, while Taylor stated Mason would call three. Peter Taylor, who was recently called to the bar, expressed confidence in his team, which includes Senior Research Officer Eustace Warner and Instructing Attorney Nehanda Samuels. This trial follows a mistrial in July 2024, where the court rejected a defense request to move the trial from Belmopan to Belize City. Mason and Rhaburn face charges for the kidnapping of Mennonite couple Lloyd and Rosey Friesen on May thirty-first, 2016, with Mason also charged with blackmail. Allegedly, they detained the Friesens by force and demanded two thousand, five hundred dollars weekly for protection. While Rhaburn is out on bail, Mason remains in the Belize Central Prison, serving a life sentence for the beheading of Pastor Llewellyn Lucas.