Resident Alleges Police Misconduct During Surveillance Footage Confiscation

One aspect of the Floyd Hyde murder investigation that raised some eyebrows was the confiscation of video footage.  Love News understands that Police were forced to confiscate surveillance footage from a Belize City resident, Delcia Abdullah.  Abdullah is now crying foul saying that the Police stormed her home last week to retrieve the footage from her camera system. She further alleges that despite not capturing anything related to the murder on her cameras, police jumped over her fence and forced their way into her home. She added that the officers found nothing and had failed to explain why they obtained a warrant to search her home.  Commissioner of Police Chester Williams responded to the allegations and clarified that the homeowner left out several pieces of information. 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: “It was a house in the area that have surveillance camera. The police went there and they refused to cooperate with the investigators in terms of getting the surveillance footage. I was contacted and I told the police get a search warrant under the indictable procedures act which states that the police can go and search and confiscate any evidence that can be used in a criminal investigation. So on the strength of a search warrant the police went to the house. The police were there with the search warrant to execute the search for the evidence that we needed and they refused to let the police in. I told the police again jump the fence and go in. The police did so and they were able to retrieve a SIM card that had the recording but they had deleted the recording from the SIM card. So we are applying to the court today to get a court order to reach the SIM card. We do have the equipment to be able to retrieve whatever was deleted from that SIM card. We have the equipment to retrieve whatever was deleted. But we want to make sure that we do everything in accordance with the law and so I have said to them make sure they get the court order where the court will be giving the police the authority to enter the SIM card and retrieve what is there.”

Once the raid ended, 51-year-old Abdullah and her daughter 29-year-old Adilah Abdullah were charged with obstructing officers in carrying out their duties and for assaulting the police. The duo appeared in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court today and were arraigned on a joint charge of obstructing a police officer and the younger Abdullah on an additional charge of aggravated assault. The women both pleaded not guilty and were granted bail of one thousand dollars each. Police say the women knowingly withheld information key to their investigation, but Delcia Abdullah denied the allegations. She spoke outside the courtroom and claims they were being victimized by the police. 

Delcia Abdullah, Claims Police Harassment: “They asked me if the camera is working I said no and they said okay miss thank you and they went about. The next day another lady came and she identified herself as PC Gottoy and me and her were talking I told her the camera isn’t working and she asked me if I know the lady personally and I said I don’t really know her personally but I know she lived there and she lived with her sons. And she asked me if I know the man, I said I don’t know the man to be honest I didn’t even know they had a murder until my neighbor told me that they had a murder. I said but I see the man and she said the man was released from jail and I said oh okay. So she asked me if I know if the lady have any other man that would want to do the man something. I said I don’t really now because the lady she keeps to herself and I keep to myself. And she said well okay thank you and she went about her business. So the next day now when I saw the next truck came and they were hailing me and I said like what are you hailing me for you know ? So they old said miss come down stairs I want to explain something to you. So I said explain what to me ? I said what do you want to explain because when I came down the steps I have arthritis and my knees hurt me. So I said about the camera? I said I told them already because people had already come to my house and I told them that the camera is not working. So the camera is up there but it’s not activated. So anyway I went inside and I shut my door. When I shut my door my little grandson said me they’re jumping the fence. I said what do you mean they’re jumping the fence. By the time I said jump the fence the police were already at my house I heard bang bang bang breaking down my door. So we started to video and told them why are you jumping my fence and breaking down my door ? So anyway they came inside and said something about they’re looking for electronic device I guess it’s the DVD or whatever they came and saw I don’t have any electronic device because the camera is not hooked up. So they still too my SIM card whiching they didn’t give me any receipt for my SIM card for out of the camera and when they were done they said thank you and went about their business. I said thank you my R because I said you should have thanked me from the time I told you the camera was not working and you went about your business not that you broke in my house and deprived me of my liberty to my property. You understand me ? You can’t come thank me then.”

The pair returns to court on December 16, 2024