Self-proclaimed freelance journalist Joseph Budna is behind bars tonight after being arraigned this morning in Belmopan for his alleged role in a 2021 murder. On Friday, Budna was arrested and charged with abetment to murder for the fatal stabbing of 50-year-old Guatemalan national Armando Coy Cacao. On July 23, 2021, Cacao’s body was found on Guyana Street in Belmopan with stab wounds after being seen the night before on his bicycle while heavily intoxicated. Today, three years after the heinous crime, Budna was taken to the Belmopan Magistrate’s Court where he pleaded not guilty. Police believe Budna and a woman who was apprehended in Silk Grass played a role in Cocoa’s murder. According to Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, his arrest comes after investigators gathered new evidence after weeks of digging through old files.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: “Following the SOE I had put together a team of specialized investigators from Special Branch, Major Crime, CIB and GI3 and I had tasked them to look at all the past murders that we have had. So what they are doing is that they are going particularly in the Cayo and Belize district area those areas that we do have the SOE. So for them to look at all those murder investigations and see if they can go back and re-interview witnesses, look at video footages, read the statements and see what additional work could be done to be able to identify the perpetrator of these murders. And that team that I had put together which is headed ACP Dawson I must say had been doing a very, very commendable job in the sense that they had been able to solve three murders. One, we had the murder of the man who was killed in Fresh Pond during the robbery. For that the guy Arnold was charged. Then they also solved the murder with Coleman in Belmopan. And then this one now for which Budna has been charged for I think abetment to murder. Again, the perpetrator or the principal offender in that particular instance from what we gather had left the country and was killed I think in Honduras. So the actual perpetrator of that crime from what we are gathering has been killed in Honduras. So we are only able to arrest Budna because there is evidence to suggest that he had something to do with that particular crime and the police do have the evidence. So that’s the reason why he was arrested.”
Reporter: And the woman supposedly hiding ?
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: “I’m not going to go into detail with that but we are looking for somebody else and there are a number of other murder cases that the unit is looking at.”
While Williams says police have evidence on Budna, the 43-year-old claims the government targeted him for speaking against the police last Friday in front of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Budna, who is no stranger to police, had taken to Facebook and alleged that police were not treating him fairly. This morning, while being remanded, he alleged that the state launched a witch hunt against him.
Joseph Budna, Accused of Abetment to Murder: “I know that the government is doing a witch-hunt against me. I had been an activist. I had stand up for what is right. I have spoken. I did a live from in front of the Ministry of Police and when I did that immediately charges start to come against me even though there is not sufficient evidence they try to put me in prison, they are trying everything. They bring charge whole of this week to me and if they find me dead in my cell it’s the government to be blamed. If I am found in my cell it’s the government to be blamed because they’re trying to get me to prison. If I don’t get my medication it’s not that I deny that they don’t want to give me my medication. They are trying to get rid of me for speaking what is right. This is after doing a live on Friday afternoon from in front of the Ministry of National Security. That’s police.”
Reporter: Are you saying the charges are false ?
Joseph Budna, Accused of Abetment to Murder: “They are false, there isn’t of evidence to the charges.” There is no evidence so if I am found dead in a cell block it’s the police.”
We note that during a prison sentence from 2002-2008, Budna attempted suicide by jumping from a water tank at the Belize Central Prison. He has also made the news numerous times on varying charges. As recently as two weeks ago, Budna made headlines after he got into a confrontation with security personnel at the Corozal Community Hospital. He was also recently accused of sexual misconduct involving a minor. In February, he was charged in the Orange Walk Magistrate’s Court for defamation and cyberbullying. In August 2023 he was injured in a shooting incident that also claimed the life of a minor. We note that Budna had been convicted of kidnapping and other charges in Guatemala and was sentenced to thirty years. In May 2019 he escaped from a hospital in San Benito, Guatemala, and returned to Belize.
Source: Freelance “Journalist” Joseph Budna Charged in 2021 Belmopan Murder
