7 News Belize

The Mysterious “Mr. Mason”
posted (July 18, 2016)

Indeed, it appears that William Mason had many ongoing business transactions – both licit and illicit, including two with prominent businessmen from the Cayo District who he had allegedly extorted. Both made reports to police, but one of them withdrew the complaint and allegedly paid Mason one hundred and four thousand dollars, while the other fled the country, fearing for his family’s safety. Â  That – along with his multiple bogus identities – is why he was under observation by Belmopan police – who, just by sheer luck - came upon him on Friday night – hours after Llewellyn Lucas had been be-headed.  Today police discussed the cases that he was under investigation for, and why they had taken so long to arrest him:…

Russell Blackett - Acting Commissioner of Police
"We had an attempt kidnapping that occurred almost 2 months ago in the Western district."

Geovannie Brackett
"Of whom?"

Russell Blackett - Acting Commissioner of Police
"Another Canadian and his wife."

Reporter
"You've been investigating this gentleman for about 2 months or so since that attempted kidnapping report was filled. This is someone who was well known within Belmopan. Was he in fact detained for that incident, how is that we are just catching up to him?"

Russell Blackett - Acting Commissioner of Police
"I will tell you that whilst Mr. Mason is a Guyanese he's a very cunning guy. The location that he is located for us to get in and search would have been problematic for us so when we had enough evidence to go on him, we decided to catch him outside and take him in where it will be safe for him, safe for the tactical unit go in."

Louis Wade - Plus TV News
"You called the accusation against Mr. Mason attempted kidnapping. The person who he kidnapped is currently in hiding in Canada. He was introduced to Mr. Mason by a minister of government; upon receiving or giving 300,000 dollars of which the carrier appears to have in Mr. Lucas. Upon refusal of the return of the money which would have been returned on Friday; previously when the money have not been returned to the Mennonite he was taken to this house with his wife under gunpoint, duct taped, kept below the house for an extended period of time. All of this was reported to the police more than a month ago. The Mennonite was taken on the highway by gunpoint where he agreed Mr. Mason to pay monies for his release which were paid to him inside BNE on the highway. All of this we understand the police had information of. How is that attempted kidnapping and not kidnapping? And why was Mr. Mason at that not arrested and charged?"

Russell Blackett - Acting Commissioner of Police
"Now the guy's in Canada and he will be in country very shortly and again what he told us in the first instance on land in Belize is something he told us different when he was in Canada. So again we need to re-interview him to see where the charged will go."

Jules Vasquez
"Why was he so hard to track down if there was a complaint which suggest that has operated criminally?"

Russell Blackett - Acting Commissioner of Police
"As I mentioned the main information surrounding the Canadian in Cayo whilst we were investigating we needed to understand from him certain further information. Now he has agreed to come back in but our sole purpose was to search his house and I mentioned earlier the premises is set in such a way that it would have been problematic for us to go in. So we thought it best over 2 weeks ago to locate him and take him in. He's very evasive and very cunning."

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