5 weeks and no charges for Mayan temple’s destruction

Last Wednesday, Prime Minister Dean Barrow announced that the additional police work needed to wrap up the case preparation in the Noh Mul investigation would have hopefully been completed by Friday, June 14. To date, no charges have been levied.

Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie told journalists Wednesday that police should be handing over the completed case file to the Director of Public Prosecution, Cheryl-Lynn Vidal, by the end of this week, June 21.

Barrow had said last week that when the file was first handed over to the DPP, she directed that additional police work be done.

“I am confident that by the end of the week that file will be at the D.P.P.’s Office,” Whylie said today.

He said that he had directed the regional commander, to spur him, and the file will be passed over to the DPP.

Prime Minister Barrow said last week that it has taken too long for the investigation to be completed, and the officers in charge of the case have not moved with the kind of alacrity he would like to see.

Barrow pointed to two critical issues: (1) police need to record a statement from the cameraman or cameramen who took footage of what had transpired, and (2) the drivers of the equipment have still not been positively identified.

Whylie told journalists today, “I have directed the regional commander, to ensure that the investigator moves vigorously to complete the directives that the DPP had passed to him, and he should be proceeding by Friday, at the latest, with that case file, to formally hand over to the Director of Public Prosecutions.”

He said that once the DPP is satisfied that the investigation has been thorough, and the requirements are met for laying charges, “I’m certain that she will so direct our officers, and we will comply promptly.”