Someone Shot At Rt. Hon. Musa's House
Tonight, the country is still in shock after witnessing another unprecedentedly violent event.
Fortunately no one was hurt, but for the first time in memory, a politician's home has been shot up - and not any politician, it's former two term Prime Minister Said Musa.
That is a first, and the very worst kind - as it establishes a precedent that seems to bring Belize to the precipice of a dangerous tipping point. It happened last night, but was not discovered until this morning. 7news was there and Jules Vasquez has the whole story:
Jules Vasquez Reporting
Last night at two minutes to 11:00, a gunman shot at Said Musa's house at the corner of E Street and Princess Margaret Drive. Residents reported hearing five or six shots in rapid succession. Musa says he heard it too
Rt. Hon. Said Musa - Home Shot Up
"We turned off the lights and went to bed at about 11 o'clock last night, and shortly thereafter, I heard this burst of gunfire, about 4 or 5 - possibly 6 shots - being fired in rapid succession. I got up, and went into the bathroom, which is adjacent to the bedroom, pulled the curtain, and looked outside towards Eve Street. I saw nothing unusual or suspicious. My wife, she got up as well, and she looked out the bedroom window toward Princess Margaret Drive, and she too saw nothing unusual. So, I suspected - I thought - it was gunfire coming from a distance away from this particular neighborhood. So, we went back to bed."
He went back to bed, but an alert area resident saw a fairly well dressed, dark skinned man running down this sidewalk on Princess Margaret Drive, jumping through this bush at the intersection with St. Charles' Street and then hopping into a dark coloured car that was waiting. He left a hat behind on the edge of the road, we are told.
They then drove off - with one resident reporting seeing the car whip down St Edward's street near the sea. Police were called, but took so long to come that the suspected shooters had time to circle back and pick up the hat that he had left behind - that was 35 minutes later.
From there no one really knew what happened until this morning at 6:00 when Said Musa left his home - as he usually does - to go to the gym.
Rt. Hon. Said Musa
"This morning, I got up shortly before 6 o'clock to go to the gym, and when I went downstairs, I noticed that the main door had a hole in it. I looked down, and I saw a piece of metal, like a slug. And when I examined it more closely, I realized that the door had been shot through. I came outside, and I noticed then that my wife's vehicle, the Santa Fe, the rare passenger side window, had been shattered also by a bullet. So, I drove them to the Princess without disturbing my wife or anyone else, and I spoke to 2 police officers who were stationed there. I reported what I observed, and as a result of what they told me, I returned home, called 911, and informed the police. They responded promptly, and they carried out their investigation."
This morning at 7:00 police Crime Investigators and Scenes of Crime personell scoured the area, they found five nine millimeter shells.
Rt. Hon. Said Musa
"The officers discovered, I am told, at least 5 or 6 expended shells, and outside fence, on the Eve Street side of the yard."
That would be this side of the house. At least two of the bullets found their mark in the Hyundai Santa Fe parked directly in front of the door - shattering the rear passenger window and penetrating the door. One more bullet went through the front door of the house.
Police have the shells and a few scraps of details - but have few leads on who might have done it. They do know that in December Musa had received threats:
Rt. Hon. Said Musa
"It is a fact that threatening phone calls were made at my wife's workplace at BCVI, threatening to harm or kill her and myself. And there were 4 or 5 calls, at least 2 to BCVI, and subsequently some to my law firm, Musa and Balderamos. This was 2 weeks before Christmas. The police were alerted to this, and they have been investigating that, but so far, they haven't been able to come up any particular leads."
Marion Ali - Love News
"Did those threats come, sir, with any reason?"
Rt. Hon. Said Musa
"This is it, no reasons, just threats, 'Tell the man give us the paper, otherwise I will kill Musa and his wife.'"
Jules Vasquez
"But it indicates lawyer-type activities?"
Rt. Hon. Said Musa
"No, no, I wouldn't say that. I am told that the 'paper' on the street means money, cash. That, as far as the extortion side of the threats went, but the real threat was to kills. Like I said, it was so bizarre, the whole thing, but Christmas came and went, and that sort of died off. We didn't receive any further threats until this incident now that took place last night. But, it's very clear that whoever it was, must have been studying the movements in the house because it was not until after the lights went out, that I heard this burst of gunfire."
Marion Ali - Love News
"Does any member of your family members have any inkling who might be behind this?
Rt. Hon. Said Musa
"No, absolutely not, in fact the very motive of this is a mystery to me, as to why anybody would want to harm me or any member of my family."
Today, Musa received visits first from friend Luke Espat, who seemed to be doing some investigating work of his own and then from leader of the Opposition Francis Fonseca, and later on from PUP Deputy Leader Mike Espat.
Now Musa's residence will be under constant police guard.
Rt. Hon. Said Musa
"Police security presence has been offered, and I have accepted."
Hon. Francis Fonseca - Leader of the Opposition
"Mr. Barrow, the Prime Minister, called me this morning. He was very gracious in saying that he was very concerned what took place with respect to the former PM, and his Government has offered to provide security for the Former Prime Minister. He has also made that offer on behalf of the Government to me, as the Leader of Opposition. I have not yet taken up that offer because, as you said, Jules, we're not very comfortable with. I think all of us who are politicians in Belize, we move around freely. I move around the City and the Country very freely. I feel very comfortable. I was just on Dean and George Streets on Friday speaking with people in the community. So, it is a new era, if you like, a new development."
Jules Vasquez
"You've been in public life for 40 years. You've lived in that area for that same period of time. How are you thinking right now?"
Rt. Hon. Said Musa
"Well, I am very distraught about the whole thing. It saddens me that throughout the time I was the Prime Minister of Belize, as you know, I never cared too much about my own personal security. I had no body guards around me. I moved freely around this country. And even after I demitted office, I continued to enjoy this lifestyle of driving my own vehicle to work, and living my life in a peaceful manner, not feeling threatened by any Belizean. It really saddens me that we've come to this path today, where it has reached home to me now. I am being personally threatened, my wife, my family."
Hon. Francis Fonseca
"There is an increasing loss of that sense of personal security, and I think we're all feeling it. And certainly, when it comes home to us, as it has this morning with our very own former leader, we obviously have a very deeper understanding of what people go through on a daily basis, as the former PM said."
And ever the politician Musa, even in this crucible - did not miss a chance to score a few easy points against the government
Rt. Hon. Said Musa
"Despite the fact that it has now come home to me, and has threatened my family and me, I am still convinced that we have to have a balanced approached to fighting crime, through law enforcement - and I am happy to see that this side of it is now being emphasized by the new leadership of the security forces - but also to deal with the real problems in education, healthcare, housing conditions of our people, in jobs most of all, and in the recreation that our young people need - sports and other such things. These things have to be emphasized far more."
But at this house, what will be emphasized now is a sustained security presence - and it's left to be seen if other politicians will have to adapt to changing times.
Police have no suspects at this time - while Musa's residence remains under guard. Musa told us he has no plans to leave the country or do any such thing.
Channel 7
Gunshots Fired At Former Prime Minister's Home
The home of former Prime Minister, Said Musa, came under attack on Tuesday night in Belize City. The incident, however, was not discovered until this morning when Mr. Musa came outside to leave his home. He spoke with reporters inside his yard after police had processed the scene.
RT. HON. SAID MUSA
“We turned off the lights and went to bed about eleven o’clock last night; shortly thereafter I heard this burst of gunfire, about four, five possibly six shots being fired in succession. I got up and went into the bathroom which is adjacent to the bedroom, I pulled the curtain and looked outside towards E Street, I saw nothing unusual or suspicious. My wife, she got up as well and looked out the bedroom window towards Princess Margaret Drive and she too saw nothing unusual. So I thought perhaps it was gunfire coming from some distance away from this particular neighborhood and so we went back to bed. This morning I got up just before six o’clock to go to the gym and when I went downstairs I noticed the main door had a hole in it, I looked down and I saw a piece of metal like a slug and when I examined it more closely I realized that the door had been shot through. I came outside and I noticed that my wife’s vehicle, the Hyundai Santa Fe, the rear passenger side window had been shattered also by a bullet.”
According to Mr Musa, not wanting to alarm his wife, he proceeded to the Princess Hotel where he alerted two policemen who then advised him to return home and to call 911, which he did. He said that he and his wife had received death threats in December.
RT. HON. SAID MUSA
“There were four or five calls at least two to BCVI and subsequently to my law firm at Musa and Balderamos number; this was about two weeks just before Christmas, the Police were alerted to this and they have been investigating that but so far have not been able to come up with any particular leads. There was no reason, just threats, ‘tell di man giv us di paper’ that’s about it, ‘otherwise I will kill Musa and eh wife’. I am told that ‘di paper’ on the street means money/cash; that as far as the extortion side of the threat went but the real threat was to kill; it was so bizarre the whole thing but Christmas came and went and that sort of died of and we didn’t receive further threats until this incident now. It’s very clear that whoever it was must have been studying the movements in the house because it wasn’t until after the lights went out upstairs. As a result of what took place last night, police security presence has been offered and I have accepted.”
Mr Musa told us that he has no clue who would want to harm him and he never felt threatened before, neither during his terms in office or after, until now.
RT. HON. SAID MUSA
“Well I’m very distraught about the whole thing,; it saddens me that throughout the time I was Prime Minister of Belize, as you know, I never cared too much about my own security, I had no bodyguards around me; I move freely around this country and even after I emitted office I continued to enjoy this lifestyle, driving my own vehicle to work and living my life in a peaceful manner and not feeling threatened by anyone or any Belizean for that matter. It really saddens me that we have come to this path today in our country where it has reached home to me now, I am being personally threatened, my wife and my family. It also brings home to me what many Belizeans have been experiencing, this daily threat, this lack of personal safety, personal security; it really calls out for a balanced approach to fighting this crime problem. I have always felt that the draconian measures do not work; the going about of abusing civil liberties of citizens, I don’t think that is the way to fight crime. I believe we must have a balanced approach. Yes, we must step up law enforcement and strengthen and give the police the resources they need to fight – personal as well as other resources – equipment and so on but obviously we need to get to the root of the problem. We have absolutely no idea who might be behind this; the very motive for this is a mystery to me as to why anyone would want to harm me or any member of my family.”
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition, Francis Fonseca, visited with the former Prime Minister and said that Prime Minister Dean Barrow has offered security protection to him and Mr. Musa, but that it is an offer that he is still contemplating because he, like Mr. Musa, has never felt the need for personal protection.
HON. FRANCIS FONSECA
“Our first concern is for the former Prime Minister and his family; we want to make sure that they are all safe – so that is our first priority, our first concern. There is an increase in that loss of that sense of personal security and I think we are all feeling it and certainly when it comes home to us as it has this morning with our own very former leader, we obviously have a very deeper understanding on what people go through on a daily basis as the former PM said. At this point we want to make sure that we can help the Police to deal with a proper investigation of this matter and obviously as I have consistently said that we want to continue to work with the government. Mr. Barrow, the Prime Minister called me and he was very gracious in saying that he was very concerned in what took place with the former Prime Minister and his government has offered to provide security for the former PM and he has also made that offer on behalf of the government to me as the Leader of the Opposition, I have not yet taken up that offer as it’s something we’re not very comfortable with. All of us who are politicians in Belize, we move around freely; I move around Belize City, I move around the country freely; I feel very comfortable. I was just, on Friday, on George Street, Dean Street speaking with people in the community, so it is indeed a new era, a new development but it’s obviously something we need to take seriously and we are taking it seriously and we are going to work very closely and cooperate very closely with the Police to get to the bottom of this matter.”
LOVEFM
Home of former Prime Minister, Said Musa, riddled with bullets
2012 was a record year for murders with one hundred and forty-five reported and the New Year has started with another record for murders. It is a new era in Belize; one when personal security cannot be taken for granted. That point was forcibly driven home when bullets riddled the home of former Prime Minister Said Musa before midnight on Tuesday when the former prime minister and his wife, Joan were about to retire for the night. Musa who has been in public life for forty years, eight as prime minister, is known to be comfortable without security but this morning all that changed following the shooting at his residence. Duane Moody was on the scene early this morning as Police personnel processed the scene.
Duane Moody, Reporting
This morning, E Street in the King's Park Area in front of the home of former Prime Minister Said Musa was filled with CIB and Scenes of Crime personnel assisted by uniformed officers. The Scenes of Crime personnel conducted their examination while CIB officers canvassed for information. According to neighbors, at just after eleven p.m. shots rang out, but nobody thought anything of it really, figuring it was either the sound of firecrackers or somebody firing a gun into the air in the area. But it wasn't. In fact, those bullets were fired at the home of Musa. Musa says he heard the shots, got up and looked out the window but saw nothing. So he figured the gunshots came from some distance away. It was not until morning that he realized the worst.
Said Musa, Former Prime Minister
"This morning I got up shortly before six o’clock to go to the gym and when I got downstairs, I noticed the main door had a hole in it. And I looked down and I saw a piece of metal, like a slug and when I examined it more closely, I realized that the door was shot through. I came outside and I noticed then that my wife's vehicle-the Santa Fe Hyundai-the rear passenger side window had been shattered also by a bullet it seems. I drove then to the Princess, without disturbing my wife or anyone else and spoke to two police officers who were stationed at the Princess and reported what I observed. As a result of what they told me, I returned home and called nine-one-one and inform the police. the police responded promptly and carried out their investigation. They have discovered I am told at least five or six expended shells outside of the fence on the E Street side of the yard and that's what happened."
But why would anybody shoot at the home of the former Prime Minister? According to a visibly shaken Musa, both he and his wife had received death threats in mid-December.
Said Musa
"It is a fact that phone calls were made threatening at my wife's work place-at BCVI-threatening to harm or kill both herself and myself. There were four or five calls-at least two to BCVI and subsequently some to my law firm at Musa and Balderamos business number. This was like two weeks before Christmas. The police were alerted to this and the police are investigating that, but so far have not been able to come up to any leads."
Marion Ali, Love TV
"Did those threats come sir with any reason?"
Said Musa
"This is it. No reason, just threats. Tell the man give us the paper otherwise I wah kill Musa and ih wife."
Jules Vasquez, Channel 7
"But it indicates lawyering-type activities?
Said Musa
"No, no. I wouldn't say that. I am told that paper on the street means money, cash. That as far as the extortion side of the threat went, but the real threat was to kill."
Musa says that the threats were bizarre, but he had discounted it because while the threats were received in mid-December nothing had happened. But with the danger now real to him, he has accepted an offer of Police protection for himself and his family.
Said Musa
"I am very distraught about the whole thing. It saddens me that throughout the time that I was prime minister of Belize, as you know, I never cared too much about my personal security; I had no bodyguards around me. I moved freely around this country. And even after I demitted office, I continued to enjoy this lifestyle of driving my own vehicle to work and living my life in a peaceful manner-not feeling threatened by anyone, any Belizean for that matter. It really saddens me that we have come to this past today in our country where it has reached home to me now."
Duane Moody for News Five.
Residents in the area told News Five that shortly after the shots were fired a grey car was seen speeding off on Princess Margaret Drive. We understand that after the threats were received in mid-December members of the Musa family took them seriously enough to begin taking precautions in the past month, including varying their daily routines. It is the first time in recent memory that any politician has been the target of a direct and focused violent attack.�
Channel 5