Christopher Galvez was murdered on the 22^nd of December last year.  It was the country’s 92^nd murder which occurred at the Pipersburgh Boat Yard in Belize City.

The story has been making headlines because the family has incriminated a police officer.  In addition the family has claimed that Andre Aguilar, who was with Galvez at the time of the shooting, was released before the due time.

As a result of the public scandal, the Ministry of National Security appointed a team of inquiry to investigate the allegations against the Police Department.  The team was led by Deputy National Security Coordinator Oliver Del Cid, conducted its probe from January 5^th to February 12^th and today the results of that investigation were made public.

In short and simple terms the investigation does not incriminate the police department or any official in the department.  In fact, the investigations redeem the police department of any wrong doing in the handling of the case.

Oliver Del CID, Head of Inquiry Team

“A a result of the information provided by person found by the Galvez family the police department was accused of conspiring to protect some individuals or police officers since they were not immediately arrested after the allegations were made. Though the Galvez family and the public at large understandably expect justice to be served promptly it appears that these accounts came solely from persons or witnesses to either did not have full knowledge of the incident report on or their account was completely inconsistent of what is known about the case.  The inquiry team has seen clear evidence that various possibilities were and continue to be actively investigated and confine no evidence that the investigative officers are involved in a cover up, however the inquiry team determined that the investigation was not at least in its initial stages carried out as quickly or as thoroughly as it would reasonably be expected.”  

The Galvez family was also upset that Andre Aguilar, who was critical to the investigation, was released before the time that any normal suspect would have been.  To that allegation this is what the team found out.

Oliver Del CID, Head of Inquiry Team

The inquiry team found no evidence whatsoever which suggested that any sort of external interference led to the release of Andre Aguilar. The fact that two lawyers appeared on separate occasions to inquire about Aguilar’s detention cannot be construed as interference. Aguilar was released when it became clear he could not have been the shooter as he was with the boatyard employees and not with Christopher Galvez when the latter was shot. Some confusion appear to have arisen regarding   the duration of his detention because in addition to poor record keeping Aguilar was held at the scene of the crime initially processed at the CIB office before he was taken to the cell block and patrol branch, held  in a separate cell from all the prisoners and taken out for questioning .”

The last allegation that was under investigation by the investigation team was the allegations of threat made by the Glavez family against a police officer.  The family says they live in constant fear, but the inquiry team declared today that they could not find anything incriminating against the police officer.

Oliver Del CID, Head of Inquiry Team

“The family and the officer’s account differ in where the latter claims that when he left and then took out his pistol just before he got into his vehicle which was on the street.  11 of the 13 persons interviewed who were on the yard in the house when the incident occurred indicated that the officer took out his firearm while walking out but still in the yard and with his back turned said in a very loud voice words to the effect that if people don’t stop calling his name somebody will get hurt. One person remained behind the building and did not hear or see anything that occurred while the officer was walking out of the yard.  One person claims that he saw the officer leave but did not see him do anything with his firearm. The inquiry team determined that the officer was apparently frustrated and angry in being accused of being involved in the murder of Christopher Galvez his (the officers) present words and actions in these two incidents were clearly perceived as threatening by the Galvez family.”

The investigation team had interviewed 51 persons including the Galvez family and potential witnesses.  They also had access to the Queen Street police diary and CIB diary.

Galvez’s family members attended today’s conference, but they walked out while the findings were released.  After the Police’s presentation, they held their own press conference in which they rejected the investigative team’s report and repeated that Police continue to cover-up the murder.