Commissioner of Police calls for better handling of sensitive court disclosure after informant is outed online

Published by BBNTEAM at August 22, 2023

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Posted: Tuesday, August 22, 2023. 10:16 am CST.

By Aaron Humes: There is a new headache for the justice system after a disclosure document, an interview by a police informant with a detective from the Gang Intelligence, Investigation, and Interdiction Unit (GI-3) being used in a court case, was published on the Facebook page of the alleged gang leader being informed on.

The informant is now reportedly in hiding and his family fears for their lives.

Commissioner of Police Chester Williams proposed a solution in an interview on Monday: “I am hoping that going forward, the courts are going to be more receptive or cooperative with the Police in terms of these investigations that whenever disclosure is given, that we would be allowed to blot out certain information pertinent to witnesses – not just in gang cases, but in every case that may likely cause witnesses to be threatened.”

The Commissioner also mentioned the Witness Anonymity Bill which allows police to redact such information to protect current and potential criminal witnesses.

The affair is “troubling,” and the courts must balance the rights of the accused to know who is accusing them with the rights of that accuser who may be intimidated into not giving that evidence.

Asked whether the affected family will be protected, the Commissioner said he has already spoken to the officer in charge in Corozal to make that arrangement.

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