Airport Corruption Scandal Unfolds: Officer Accused of Extortion

Airport on March 15. The allegations go deeper as it is reported that Richards was forced to put the money inside his passport to be allowed entry into the country.  He has since been able to identify Escalante as the officer who took his cash. Escalante’s attorney has countered the charge, saying that the junior officer was used as a scapegoat, further claiming that the Police were not thorough in their investigations. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, feels differently, saying that the evidence points toward a different version of events. 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: “Well I don’t expect the attorney to say otherwise, that’s her job to make her client appear to be innocent. I am not the arbiter of the facts. I can only present the facts as they are and the court at the end of the day is going to determine her guilt or innocence. But I know for a fact that there is surveillance footage showing the immigration officer going to an ATM with the complainant and the complainant sought to withdraw money from his credit card but that did not materialize. We also have surveillance footage to show that the complainant was held at the airport for extended hours. At one point in time the airport actually closed and they were still there with him and the video footage shows certain things that support the information provided by the complainant. I’m not going to say the Immigration officer is innocent or guilty. Like I said I’m not the one who is going to decide that but from a police standpoint we have sufficient to have laid the charges against her.”

Escalante is a resident of the Corozal District.