High Court removes Kareem Musa and Dr. Richard Rosado from Budna’s constitutional claim 

The High Court has ruled that former Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa and Commissioner of Police Dr. Richard Rosado will no longer be named as individual defendants in the constitutional claim brought by Joseph Budna over his alleged abduction and expulsion from Belize.  The ruling was handed down today by Justice Martha Alexander, who ordered that the matter proceed only against the Government of Belize through the Attorney General. The case has now been adjourned to June 10.  Budna’s legal challenge stems from events in September of last year, when his attorneys filed suit against the Government, the Commissioner of Police, the then Minister of Home Affairs, and several police officers. The claim alleges that Budna was unlawfully arrested, tortured, denied legal assistance, kidnapped, and forcibly removed from Belize into Guatemala in violation of his constitutional rights.  The lawsuit also seeks declarations from the court that his rights were breached, along with an order compelling the Government of Belize to facilitate his return to the country through legal and diplomatic means. Budna is additionally seeking damages and legal costs.  Back in January of this year, attorneys representing the state actors, including Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay, appeared before the High Court seeking to have the matter struck out on several legal grounds. However, today’s ruling narrows the claim to proceed solely against the state through the Attorney General, effectively removing Kareem Musa and Dr. Rosado as personal defendants in the proceedings.//////