by Charles Gladden
BELMOPAN, Wed. Oct. 12, 2022
Over the weekend, an audio clip from a well-known member of the Supal Street Gang in Belize City was leaked to members of the local media, and in that recording, the notorious street figure can be heard confessing to serious crimes, including two recent murders that took place in Ladyville, and theft.
During the weekly police press briefing on Tuesday, October 11, members of the local media questioned Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams—who recognized the voice of the gang member in the clip—about what could be done to prosecute that individual on the basis of the recorded confession. However, the gang member whose voice is seemingly heard in the recording is in hiding in the US, and no charges have yet been levied against him in connection to the murders mentioned in the audio clip.
Notably, it is yet to be confirmed whether the voice heard in the recording is indeed that of the well-known gang member, and, according to Commissioner Williams, for charges to be levied on the individual, such a confirmation would have to be done through voice analysis.
“There certainly will be a lot that will be required to be done. Yes, we need to have some voice recognition expert who would be able to ascertain without any doubt that the person in the voice clip is indeed him. Yes, you and I who may have come into contact with him on numerous occasions can say at first glance that the voice is his, but we still need to go beyond that. And then we need to see whether or not the information in the voice clip is indeed credible, that what he described had actually occurred. Once that is ascertained, then we can look at perhaps producing a warrant because, to some extent, he is promoting gang activity and under the gang regulations, we certainly will be able to charge him,” Commissioner Williams told reporters.
He further explained, “Once we would produce the warrant for his arrest, then we would inform the U.S. authorities and Interpol to indicate that he is wanted in Belize on that particular charge. Once he is captured and returned to the country, then we can proceed with court proceedings against him in respect thereof. And if it is we can get more in respect to the murders that he alleged in the voice note that was committed by him or his group, then certainly the charge of murder can also be looked at.”