Last night, we told you about the Mennonite Businessman, Lloyd Freisen's, who returned back to Belize to make a formal complaint against the now infamous William Danny Mason. Now that Mason is in jail, the couple felt secure enough to report to police exactly what they endured, allegedly at the hands of Mason and his associates.
As we told you the businessman says that Mason swindled him out of 300 thousand dollars, and when he tried to get him money back, Mason and his associates kidnapped him, threatened him and extorted him.
Well, police charged Mason's Ranch Manager, Ryan Rhaburn, and after hours of uncertainty of whether or not they would or wouldn't arraign him they took him to before Magistrate Ladonna John in Belmopan. That arraignment failed twice today, and this afternoon during the second attempt, our newsteam was there to watch it fall apart:
Ryan Rhaburn, charged by police for the kidnapping of Mennonites, Lloyd Freisen and his wife, walked into the Belmopan Magistrates Court, his hands cuffed and shackled to his feet.
He was not given the heightened security treatment that his employer, William Mason aka "Ted Oulette", had received when he and his fellow defendants were being arraigned for murder and kidnapping.
Still, the cops followed him into the court to make sure that he was properly in its precincts. Most unusually, and quite unlike his boss, Mason, he exited court less than an hour later free of the police. Apparently the cops had bungled his arraignment because the substance of his criminal charges did not stand up to Magistrate Ladonna John's scrutiny.
Rhaburn's attorney was satisfied that his client was able to go home after 96 hours in police detention:
Herbert Panton - Attorney for the Defence
"It is the same thing as was the previous case with the other 5 clients and there is no need for Chester Williams to go and do any legal research on this one because it's the same thing. Whatever the facts are of the case the criminal procedure rule say that they ought to be represented to the defendant prior to arraignment. On the facts presented it must be established that there is a prima facie case. Now we're not dealing with evidence, evidence comes at the time of BI and the time of trail but when reading the facts you must be able to surmise that kidnapping which is the charge here actually occurred. And how does kidnapping occur? It occurs when you hold someone against his or her will. The facts say that 2 creole descent person, male persons held the Thiesens at the residence at Intelco Hill. The moment they were held against their will the kidnapping occurred. They said that they did not know the male person but if they saw them again they would be able to recognize them. They did not mention Mr. Rhaburn's name as to any of the two gentlemen at Intelco Hill. The facts further state that they were driven from Intelco Hill to the farm on the Western Highway. They had some kind of crocus sack or something over their head but through the little holes in that sack they were able to recognize Mr. Rhaburn. Now the kidnapping done happen so you recognize Mr. Rhaburn how do you connect Mr. Rhaburn to the kidnapping? Mr. Rhaburn works at the farm, Mr. Rhaburn is a farm manager."
"Mr. Rhaburn may have very well may have been attending the sheep, the pig, the cow, the goat whatever is on the farm and then the charge states of kidnapping at mile 30 and 31 which would put it in the Belize judicial district. But how could you kidnap at mile 30 and 31 if the Thiesens say they were held against their will at Intelco Hill?"
But, Panton says that he is sure that police will make another attempt to arrest and prosecute his client for this very same incident, something they are legally entitled to.
Herbert Panton - Attorney for the Defence
"All that needs to happen if for the police to get their ducks in a row, put the facts together, put the charge together and come back and re-arrest my client and charge him."
Daniel Ortiz
"So sir he is not exactly free of this particular?"
Herbert Panton - Attorney for the Defence
"I am certain they will come and charge and I had no problem with that on the first occasion. But all I am saying lord man you da the police force get your ducks in a row, get your act together."
So, that's where it is tonight, Rhaburn is released after several days in police custody, but the cops can bring the kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping charge a second time if they so choose, since he was not acquitted.
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