Police Investigation into Alleged Abduction of Roger Plett Concludes

Last Wednesday, the C.E.O.s of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Security spoke out for the first time on an allegation made by Belizean Roger Plett. Plett claimed that the week before he and another man, Rudy Friesen, were forced into Guatemalan territory by civilians and military who commandeered a tractor and bulldozer as well. It was announced at that official press conference that the O.A.S. has been asked to conduct a verification exercise. Still, there’s been a problem with the Police investigation, the findings of which will determine the next move by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Today, Lovell explained that there were two separate incidents and that was the source of some confusion, but it’s been cleared up. He read the conclusion of the Police report to us via phone this afternoon.

On the Phone: Ret’d Col. George Lovell, C.E.O., Minister of National Security

“So far investigations have revealed that the fire that Plett and his team were trying to control and extinguish made its way on the Guatemalan side, and there were a group of Guatemalans already extinguishing the fire on that side. It is the belief, based on Plett’s statement, that because they blamed them for the fire that came over to the farm, they forcibly had the tractor and the bulldozer to across to assist in outing the fire on the Guatemalans side. Based on the statement it also shows that on the thirteenth the Guatemalans called from Barrientos’ telephone and they spoke to Ayala. They were demanding that the bulldozer be sent across again to assist in the controlling of the fire which was not done. That ends the statement that I received from the Police. There are two things as I said – the actual forceful removal of Belizeans from Belize to Guatemala was clearly an issue that was done and we need to investigate. The other thing was the actual mischievous act with the distress call and the fact that our people were saying that there was a need for the bulldozer or the equipment to be given to the Guatemalans, and when the Police started pressing they said oh no…we are safe here now, no need for us to have the Police or B.D.F. or anyone intervening because they are safe and the equipment is safe at home and no one else is requesting anything else to be done. The Police had found that kind of strange.”

Lovell explained that his officers will not be able to cross the border to conduct any questioning of Guatemalans allegedly involved, so that will need to be conducted through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs working with the O.A.S.